Fate and the Alchemist
by SoravsGoku123
Summary: To obtain something…something of equal or greater value must be given in return. The Holy Grail was created to end that absolute. The Philosopher's Stone was created in the constraints of that absolute. But Magic requires a price…an ultimate miracle created by man needs a sacrifice. To obtain something…something of equal or greater value must be given in return. That is an Absolute
1. Chapter 1

To obtain something…something of equal or greater value must be given in return.

The Holy Grail was created to end that absolute.

The Philosopher's Stone was created in the constraints of that absolute.

But Magic requires a price…and even an ultimate miracle created by man needs a sacrifice.

To obtain something…something of equal or greater value must be given in return.

That is an Absolute.

 **Chapter 1**

Sebastian Elric lived a dual life. And so did many others in America. On the one hand, he was a high school student of the tenth grade, keeping up with his grades to appease his parents and stay with his friends. On the other hand, he was an Alchemist like his dad, Edward-The Full Metal Alchemist as he was called in his original world.

A tiny bit of magic, and a whole lot of science…which was the only subject he was interested in. To be good at science, one must be good at math; and that just meant his other subjects took the back seat. But transmuting lead into iron or carbon into a diamond was only half of an Alchemist's duty.

His dad often talked about a substance known as a Philosopher's Stone; a legendary substance known to create gold from base metals (gold and silver are one of the only metal s that cannot be transmutable, due to the complex nature of the actual metal and the value humans put on them) and make an elixir of life.

There is a way to obtain such a thing, but it is imperfect and requires human sacrifice-which none of the Elrics would dare breach. Even so, dad strives hard for such a thing because he sees it as something he needs to accomplish…at least that's what he told Sebastian.

And there is his mother, and her unique look. While Sebastian (most of the time) and his dad had blonde hair and blue eyes, his mother had white hair and red eyes…and was someone known as a Magus. She taught Sebastian how to control his Prana, and consequently how to perform magecraft…which was quite different from Alchemy, even if it incorporated a form of Alchemy for various spells and enchantments.

Prana is magical energy used to complete such requests of spells and so forth, and as a result can be more powerful than Alchemy as the Elrics know it.

But Sebastian's dad also explained to him that magecraft can be more easily blocked and thwarted…but Magus' in general had no idea about Alchemy, and couldn't defend against such odds.

Sebastian can't use magecraft normally, however. He has to mentally activate it, which 'switches' him as he calls it. It's a form in which his hair turns white like his mother, and his eyes red like his mother. Neither parent could ever explain why that is. But it suited Sebastian just fine…he could walk like he knew nothing about such things, much like a trap. And since his transformation is instantaneous, he could use magecraft immediately if need be.

Just the way he liked it.

Every other day his parents would teach them their arts; Edward would have him help in their shared Alchemical endeavors, and Illyasviel (his mother) would impart her knowledge of magecraft. This went on every day for years, until Sebastian got good enough to start his own projects, to do his own thing with magecraft and his dad's alchemy.

That is also where Sebastian got into the greatest trouble of his life.

Which whether he liked it or not; that is where the story starts…

"I'm home" he announced, and stretched; dropping his book bag on the couch.

"And there's my son" his mom beamed, and gave him a quick hug. Sebastian was a little irked, after all he wasn't a kid anymore…well the government considered him a kid still. Damn those under eighteen signs.

"I love you too, mom" he said, annoyed but in a good way.

"Your dad's going to be a little late…but that's expected. He works himself to death I say" she hummed as she worked on what was a cake.

"What's he up too now?" Sebastian asked.

"Oh, he's got some desk work to finish-all that transmutation needs documentation after all" she said.

That was fine with Sebastian; while he enjoyed his dad's company immensely, he was working on portals related to distance.

Strictly speaking, teleportation was a fantasy. While some Magus types employed certain aspects of it, such as traveling through time and so forth; Sebastian's goal was to bend such time space. This would allow him to get from point A to point B rather quickly, like stepping through a door from his room, and right into class.

This mostly incorporated Magecraft; but the actual bending of timespace required a lot of computation and energy regulation. Magus' as a whole carry their weight around, throwing Prana at everything to solve issues-and while sometimes Sebastian wished to shortcut it, there was the matter of using too much mana. So bending timespace would require an Alchemical mindset.

He worked thusly until dinner, which was when his dad came home.

"I had to go to some large scale trial today; someone had broken the magical law big time" he said, as Sebastian sat down to eat.

"What law?" Sebastian asked.

"The law banning Necromancy and all its dangers. We had to…destroy test subjects as well. They were getting out of hand. And Illya" he looked at her "There were Homunculi as well"

She stared at him long and hard, before nodding, as if resigned.

"Isn't that-" Sebastian began.

"Yes…the perpetrator in question tried to reach the Gate for his endeavors" The Gate was an enigma-the in between of worlds as his dad put it. It also brought people back from the dead (supposedly).

Homunculus or Homunculi as a plural form were constructs designed with the remains of the person that was being brought back to life. They were abominations who worked to bring down the Alchemists in dad's old world.

Sebastian didn't know if Magus' were capable of Homunculus creation; and his parents always dodged the subject.

"So what will happen if the accused is found guilty?" Sebastian asked.

"Death" Edward said simply "There is no excuse for necromancy-trust me I know"

Sebastian knew there was more to that statement, but his dad asked him to never ask that question again.

His parents pushed him away for some 'alone' time, which Sebastian translated as lovey dovey movie stuff. Popcorn, blankets, and a romantic story about star-crossed lovers…not his cup of tea.

And so he continued with his project, which barring any more issues, would be done by next semester.

The morning was just as drowsy as ever. Sebastian figured he inherited this condition from his mother; as she could never get up early to save her life.

His schooling was tackled with enthusiastic efficiency; partly because he wished to get back to work, and partly because American kids were…an interesting lot.

And of course he knew the difference; as he had schooled in Germany and Japan, respectively.

Little did he know that this night was the last night he would spend in America.

"The issue with Absolutes is that they leave no room for failure"- Roy Mustang, State Alchemist

Sebastian came home to an empty house. His mother left him a message that she would be late, as she was with his dad at that all-encompassing trial. Dinner was in the fridge, which he heated up with a quick clap of the hands. He was fine with his parents being out; as it would be advantageous for his experiments.

His work led him into the night, and by the end of it he was quite pleased with his progress. Testing would begin tomorrow.

He woke up to a beaming mother, who held up a verdict.

"He did it, Sebastian! He brought that criminal to justice" She was tired, but happy-and sad.

"Is dad with you" he rubbed the sleep from your eyes.

"He has the day off, which means…so do you" she kissed his forehead "C'mon sleepyhead, time for breakfast"

"You know you don't have to coddle me" Sebastian led her to the door, and shut it to get dressed.

Walking down the stairs in his Alchemical robes, Sebastian watched his parents asleep on the couch, and his breakfast on the table. He shook his head and smiled.

"Well, at least they gave me the day off" the prospects of missing a day didn't bother him; it was a day for experimentation.

He looked at them one more time; his mom's head on his dad's shoulder…and his dad had his mechanical hand propping his head up. But they were still snoring…

They were peaceful…but it did not last.

His house was on fire…and it was sundown. Sebastian scrambled to get to his parents and help them put it out, and then an explosion hit the house.

"What the hell is that?" he looked out a window, only to find his dad in a duel with another man. He heard a cry.

"Got you" a male voice declared.

"Hey, man. It's the heart we need, why don't we just kill her and be done with it? She's caused us enough trouble" another replied.

Sebastian ran down to the kitchen, to find his mother on the ground, being hauled up by her white shining hair. Three men surrounded her.

"Hey, it's that brat. Can I kill him?" the man to the right asked.

"NO!" she shrieked.

"Shut it" he kicked her.

Sebastian 'switched', startling them with his power.

"That's my mother" he said, fuming.

"Yeah, we kind of know that" the man on the left said.

"Wow, your hair just turned white!" the middle man exclaimed "That's a real nice change-wish I could do that"

"That isn't all I can do" Sebastian moved his hand up, and charged energy. A white ball appeared, and surrounding it was a magic circle, his mother's handiwork "Which one of you wants to get vaporized?"

"Those red eyes make you look like a demon…I Like it" the man on the left moved to charge him.

"Stop" the fourth man said, and Sebastian turned.

"Death. War. Famine. Conquest" he said and showed his right hand.

"WE ARE THE FOUR HORSEMEN" they all shouted.

"And you belong to us, now" the fourth one said.

"I don't think so" Sebastian used his charged ball on the left most man, and parried the inevitable throw of the fourth guy.

"R-run Sebastian" his mother implored.

There was an explosion outside the house. The fourth one turned.

"The Master is losing to the Fullmetal Alchemist" he said "Grab the girl and go"

They dragged her by the hair, and the fourth one kicked Sebastian in the stomach.

"Don't get in our way" he said "And your mother may live to see another day"

They left by the time Sebastian could get up, the pain was so bad.

"Mom" he yelled, and ran out of the house. The city was in ruins, and he ran through it, seeking only to save his mother.

Street by street he ran, pausing only to watch refugees pass, in the hopes that she got away.

"You're an incredible man, Sebastian" he paused, as a man entered the night light.

"What do you want?" he said.

"I want what you want, what your dad wants; the Philosophers Stone" he said "I could study a specimen such as yourself all night; incredible that a male Einzbern Homunculus actually exists. I mean, it's even incredible that any females exist as well…but they were meant to"

"Homunculi are evil" Sebastian said "How could you even say that I am one of them, I am still alive" and he 'switched'. His blonde hair and blue eyes were a sharp contrast to his other side.

He put on his glove, the one with his signature transmutation circle on it, and grabbed the metal pole for a stop sign. It turned into a thin short sword.

"You think you could fight something like me?" the man laughed "I think it's time to show you that your experiments work"

He began chanting, and a transmutation circle as large as a doorway appeared on the wall.

Sebastian lunged for the man, who dodged his every move, whilst his chanting continued.

"ha ha ha ha, ah ha ha ha ha ha" he laughed as the circle began to pull him closer.

"I need to be sure" he said "There will be no mistakes this time, not when I will have three perfect candidates for my ritual"

Sebastian tried to get out of the pull, but it was no good.

"You think to escape me?" the man laughed "I need you to still exist, it's the only way I will have access to your work"

"You won't get away with this" Sebastian said "I will stop you!"

"Like you stopped them from taking your Mother?" he stepped close to him "You are powerless and pathetic, but I need you alive" and he threw him in the portal.

"I was a sacrifice. My own parents treated me like dirt to appease the local god"- Unknown, The Holy Grail Wars

The girl was tied. She was tied over a table full of food. Hogtied if you will-or is that too kinky. It probably is, and that means I am classified as a pervert…and that sucks. Well back to the scene.

She was supposed to be a trap, set for a darker, scantily clad version of herself. And that was a long story. Her darker form approached, astonished at her quarry's apparent lack of cunning. She knew it was a trap, and she was very curious as to why…but then, why not. Time to kill the one their mother chose!

And then he appeared.

Sebastian blew up part of the clearing when he hit the dirt; crying all the while for his parents. He knew he was being stupid, but such was the way of the high schooler.

He got up and looked at the dark hole in the sky…that's not possible.

"I've given you one last chance to save your mother, Elric!" the voice said "I will create the instrument of my victory in a short while yet…I have a Homunculus to dissect"

"MONSTER" he screamed "Don't you dare!"

"I don't dare, boy" the voice laughed "You'll find that out soon enough"

"NOOO!" he yelled, and fell on his knees "Nooo"

And suddenly his whole body arched, as he 'switched' and yelled so loud-he floated above the crater.

"What's happened to me…?" he asked as his body drained.

He fell to the ground, and felt queasy. One look at the reflection in the puddle revealed he was white haired and red eyed. It was all he had of his mother now, the magic she taught him, and his ability he was born with.

A twig snapped and he turned to the most interesting sight there was.

A table was laid with food on it, and a few grade school kids were right next to it. The food will give his strength back, never mind that they looked familiar.

He ran to the table and took a piece of bread munching on it, while staring at the tied up girl. He packed away his sorrow, and tried for a smile.

"You know that being tied like that looks kind of weird. Do your parents know you're here?" he said as he felt his strength ebb back, little by little.

She just stared at him, wide eyed…and again he had the strange feeling that he knew her from somewhere.

"Okay I know that you're probably not familiar with anyone who just falls from the sky, but I assure you…please don't try that at home" he sighed as he looked back at the clearing he just destroyed.

She tilted her head and asked.

"Watashi wa anata o rikai suru koto wa dekimasenga, soreha isshu no dokutokuna anata ga shitte iru nodesu... Watashi no kami no iro o motte imasu ka?" she said.

"So I guess you don't speak English" but she spoke Japanese…looks like he's not in Kansas anymore. He switched languages.

"Listen, I'm kind of lost, can you tell me where we are and what time it is…like day, month, year" he asked "And, well this may seem weird to you, but I have the feeling I know you from somewhere"

The whole clearing, including the people Sebastian saw trying to hide, were understandably shocked at his change in language. This whole situation was in a whole different realm of weird, never mind that he just lost his parents, home, and life in America…except that he knew two of the people in the bushes. They were much younger than he remembered but all the same:

One was of course Rin Tohsaka; a good friend of his mother's.

And the other was Luviagelita Edelfelt, another close friend.

They were young…like his age, and they were both well into their fifties, about ten plus years older than his mom, back in his world.

"Miss Tohsaka…and Miss Edelfelt" he said, a pit of dread as he realized he must have been transported in the past "What year is this?"

Their only response was to drop their jaws.


	2. Chapter 2

A lesson without pain is meaningless.

For you cannot gain something without sacrificing something else in return.

But once you have recovered it and made it your own... You will gain an irreplaceable Fullmetal heart.

There's no such thing as a painless lesson, they just don't exist.

Sacrifices are necessary.

You can't gain anything without losing something first.

Although if you can endure that pain and walk away from it, you'll find that you now have a heart strong enough to overcome any obstacle.

Yeah... a heart made Fullmetal.

-Edward Elric, Fullmetal Alchemist

 **Chapter 2**

Sebastian was dumbstruck with her answer. A whole forty plus years in the past-and that thief used his work for this.

He felt weak, and above that, he felt overwhelmed. He was in Fuyuki City; where his family spent their childhood (yeah, his dad appeared here to…sometime when they were teenagers).

And he was scared; not just for his mother and father, or for himself either. He was scared about space-time and what happens when you mess with history.

And that meant he could never see his mother, even if she was a kid here. But he needed help; he needed to think, needed to find a way back to his own time.

" _I need you to still exist, it's the only way I will have access to your work"_

That man somehow gained access to his project, and not just the development, but he altered it for his own purposes. Sebastian never wanted to travel through time.

Of course he never wanted to be thrust away from his parents; no matter their doting craziness.

"Well I'm only here for one thing, and that's to kill her" one of the kids brandished weapons "So if you'll remove yourself from my line of sight, I'd appreciate it" She smiled deviously.

Magi, of course they were…

"Trace!" he said, just in time, and blocked her blades. He readied his own.

"I don't know who you are, or what you think you're doing" he said "But killing just for the fun of it is wrong. Didn't your mother ever tell you to be nice to your peers?"

She growled.

"My mother abandoned me!" she yelled, attacking with all her might.

"Damn she's fast" he said, and pushed her away with a spell "First time a little girl tried to kill me" he smiled, chuckling.

"And there's more this girl can do" she returned that smile, and charged. Another girl blocked her, and she was wearing frilly clothing.

"Seriously, how do these kids get away with this?" he asked.

She had a mystic code of sorts and it appeared to be talking. The other girl took the 'wand' and wacked it away like a baseball and bat.

The frilly dressed girl changed back to normal.

"So it's like a transformation then" he sighed "It figures that Magi would come up with that sort of thing"

The aggressive girl turned to the previously tied up one…were they twins?

Miss Tohsaka and Miss Edelfelt appeared and tried some enchanted binding cloth to tie her up.

"Okay, what kind of sick game is this?" he prepared to step in, only the girl had the two ensnared in their own bindings.

"I don't remember them being this inept" Sebastian charged with the intent to stop the girl.

They exchanged some blows, but it became clear quickly that she was faster, due to her size and proportion-she was carrying two swords to his one.

"I am starting to get the feeling of déjà vu" she replied after a few minutes of fighting "I really don't want to hurt you, something deep down keeps me from doing so" she said, looking down.

Sebastian had those thoughts as well, but he had no intention of letting her kill her…twin. They really look the same, like mirror images-except for the fact that she has darker skin.

"But I will not allow her to go free, I can't. She did much more to me than you will ever know"

"And that's not my problem" he said, to her shock "I've had a really bad day, you know one of those where you lose everything most dear to you. Magi or not, I will not watch a couple of kids kill each other, not when I can stop it"

She stepped back, her eyes almost glazed with tears.

"I-I don't know why your words affect me like they do" she looked confused "What did you do to me?"

Sebastian had a hunch that it had to do with the butterfly effect, altering time like this just for being in the past. As it was, he had a similar feeling, like he wanted to wrap his arms around her and comfort her…just who did he run into?

"I-It feels gut wrenching. I want nothing more than to kill her, and yet-" she slipped through the ground, and it revealed a bog of sorts. A magical trap! Here in this place?

He searched the surround quick with his eyes; this was no child's spell. Although-

He looked at Miss Tohsaka and Miss Edelfelt. They were very powerful Magi in their own right when he last saw them at a reunion.

"We're free!" they shouted, as the cloth ripped around their middle. Very coincidental of them.

They all (the two other girls included) ran over to laugh at her for falling in. She looked dejected and defeated, those tears ever closer to appearing in full force.

Well actually only the older women really laughed at her…the other two just hung back and watched, unimpressed with their seniors ridiculing a little kid.

"Hey Illya, look at how those oldies make fun of her for falling in" one of the Mystic Code's was talking.

Sebastian heard that name like lightning hit him in the face.

"I-I-Illya?!" he yelled, backing away "No, n-not here"

Everyone looked at him then, but Sebastian didn't care. That's why that girl looked so familiar-it was his mom…and it was really obvious too. If he bothered to really study what they looked like.

"S-So you know me?" she asked, curious.

The butterfly effect, and the consequences of time was all that encompassed his mind, and he couldn't help it.

Sebastian ran from the group with as much force as he could muster, never mind their cries of surprise…or their pleas to return and explain himself.

"Why aren't you fighting? Because of me? Because you don't want to make me suffer? Because you don't want to hurt me?" - Illyasviel von Einzbern, The Holy Grail Wars.

Fuyuki City was unrecognizable. Sebastian had 'switched' in order to keep the stares from engaging him. Apparently white hair and red eyes was much more of a rarity in Japan than blonde hair and blue eyes.

But of course he didn't know anyone in this city, not forty years in the past anyway. That was a moot point, at any rate; he believed he did too much damage by even being seen. He would not risk anymore damage to the timeline…not unless it was necessary.

There was the matter of that mysterious enemy that sent him here, there was a purpose behind it; it's the only thing that made sense.

He was here, that was Sebastian's thought, otherwise the whole thing would be a waste. He said something about needing him alive for that project he had worked on, that Sebastian's continued existence was paramount to the knowledge of bending space-time. That in of itself could be explained using Magic crests; of which he had one on his back.

Sebastian's magic crest was incomplete; his mother explaining that was a result of her own dad's dad-or his great grandfather being somewhat of an evil man. She wouldn't go into details, and gave it to him instead of keeping it, but nevertheless it was useful enough to help him with his goal of space-time bending.

And that was because he liked the idea of teleportation.

Therefore, as Magic Crests could only be inherited generally speaking, it would be prudent to keep the bearer alive for such a thing. But the crest itself was only the root of his work.

Sebastian had a hunch that the enemy was using the knowledge he would have gained in the future and not what he possessed currently. That was a feat in of itself, but the mind boggling thing was how his mother fit into it, or where these other three 'candidates' were.

There was too little information, and that was the problem with hunches.

Those girls were bothering him. As far as Sebastian knew, his mother didn't have a sister, and yet there were two girls and not one. Perhaps this was the butterfly effect already in motion, or there was another variable he wasn't considering.

He needed help, and there were precious few Magi willing to help him; if any heard of him being from the future and actually believed it, they would be after him for those reasons. If nothing else…

There was someone that might help, and he'd be willing to bend the future for his help, if it meant he'd have a future. It would be incredibly risky, but the person in question was his uncle: Shirou Emiya.

Shirou wasn't a Magus himself; nor would he even possess knowledge that would help his future Nephew, but he was reliable with the inner workings of the city, and would be able to point out any abnormal occurrences. He would just need to know how to approach him.

As far as Sebastian knew, given who Shirou was, it wouldn't be the worst case scenario for a change in history to happen, and he wouldn't tell Mom.

The butterfly effect had taken place the moment he fell from that void; and paradoxes and the like should have happened already. As long as Shirou was left in the dark, about who Sebastian really was; and as long as the exchange was short, no more damage should happen that has already not happened.

This enemy had to be in this city; if memory serves, then this would be a big ley line get together-this location, anyway. That was always a major pointer of Fuyuki City.

"I just need to find the street" he said.

Searching for the Emiya residence was actually easy; the street address didn't change in forty years, as his uncle actually owned the house in the future-he inherited it after the incident.

And Sebastian didn't know what it was, because his mother would become very sad when that was mentioned, and he didn't like to see her cry.

The house was a quaint little place, and in Sebastian's opinion, one of his favorite places in the world.

However, he didn't know if that would still be the case now.

He knocked on the door, and another white haired woman answered. He knew her but couldn't remember her name.

"Einzbern residence" she said "And they are not here at present" she gave him a stern look.

He hoped the recognition of the name didn't show.

" _I could study a specimen such as yourself all night; incredible that a male Einzbern Homunculus actually exists"_

"Yes, I'm here to see Emiya" he said, and gulped. 'Let her buy it'

"Oh so you're a classmate" she said, expression softening "You can come in, and I'll go get him"

And that was what she did.

Sebastian knew that name had to mean something bad; if they made Homunculi, but his mother had nothing to do with those abominations. The fact that he just heard it again sent up red flags.

The Name was German, and that was about all Sebastian could figure out.

"Oh, hello, um whoever you are" Shirou gave his trademark smile and shook his hand…at least he was recognizable on the spot.

"Can we talk private somewhere, it's kind of important" Sebastian said.

"Alright then, come up to my room" he walked up the stairs.

They walked towards his room, passing a door that had an 'Illya's Room' sign. Sebastian almost stopped; but it wasn't good to pry-indeed he had wanted to know if she kept her room cleaned like she always bragged when he was younger. He hated cleaning his room, then.

Once they were in, his Uncle closed the door.

"So what's this about?" he asked.

"But the world isn't perfect, and the law is incomplete. Equivalent Exchange doesn't encompass everything that goes on here-good or bad, there is unbalance"- Alphonse Elric, State Alchemist.

Sebastian tried to explain what he needed to his Uncle, and like his nature, Shirou wanted to help; but he was less inclined to really do anything until a real explanation could be given.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you" he told him.

"Try me" Shirou said "I've believed some pretty crazy stuff that happened to be true, and it's not normal for someone I never met greet me as an old friend, so it really can't be all that bad"

"I can't say it here" Sebastian got up "You know that old coffee shop, by the train station?"

"Well, it's only a month old, but yes I know what you're talking about" he said.

"Meet me there, and make sure you're not followed" Sebastian walked out of the room and showed himself out.

This wouldn't be as easy as he thought. Shirou always did require the truth, and Sebastian's request really was too much to leave him in the dark.

But the change it might cause for the future…

Sebastian shook his head; there was no point-as long as he didn't interact with either of his parents, perhaps he would be alright.

In order for progress to appear, there needs to be some sort of change, and he can't be alone in this. Not if the enemy was moving.

Speaking of which, Sebastian knew nothing about the men who attacked his parents or the man responsible for sending him forty plus years in the past.

Shirou was always meant to be a start in the right direction (when Sebastian thought of going to him), but he needed a lead soon-or some indication of progress. The longer he's here, the longer history is messed up.

And this ritual he mentioned…

Sebastian needed to earn some money, needed a place to stay, and needed many things to move forward. This needed to be a short term goal, even if the weather was warm.

He realized he'd have to give Shirou all the facts if there was a chance at progress. But how do you tell your Uncle that you're from the future?

Convincing him would be no easy task.


	3. Chapter 3

It is a strange thing then.

A thesis without facts, a statement without tact.

They wield their weapons like men, born and true.

And their mouths like children, naïve and ignorant.

Always getting their way, using logic that does not exist.

Highminded, prideful, arrogant.

Lies they believe to be true.

It is a strange thing then.

That more people will die, because of that.

 **Chapter 3**

Sebastian waited at the shop by the station, head spinning with exhaustion and worry. He was being watched. It wasn't like he was paranoid or anything, he just knew. He had seen them, hooded and cloaked. And there were two of them.

They jerked excessively when Shirou walked in and sat down.

"You went to the coffee shop and didn't order anything?" he asked.

"My supply of money has been tapered off" by forty years, he thought dryly.

"Then allow me. Tea fine with you?" Sebastian was a bit startled by that, but he nodded meekly. He wasn't sure his Uncle would be so nice after the conversation was over.

Shirou made the order, and then sat and waited for Sebastian to talk. He sighed.

"You are probably not going to believe me when I tell you this. And I also explain at great risk, but the fact remains that you must keep this to yourself, until I find out what and how much me being here affects things" Sebastian said.

"Like I've said, I heard much worse than what you can probably throw at me, and those situations were actually true" Shirou nodded.

"Then I'm going to cut to the chase with this" Sebastian sighed, and inwardly cringed "I'm from the future"

Shirou nodded for him to continue, his face a mask of concentration.

"I-uh, well I've been thrown back here without the means of discerning the nature of my travel, and to be honest I don't know how much damage I've cost to the timeline. This city is special in a way, it has a hidden power to it…I'm sure you know that part, at least"

"Well I'd say it's a pretty special place, but I don't know about any hidden power" Shirou looked like he was humoring him "So if I may ask, what kind of damage are we talking about here?"

"I will get to that, but I need to know if I'm wasting your time?" he said.

"I said I will hear you out, didn't I?" Shirou looked at him "No matter how strange"

"What do you know about the butterfly effect?" Sebastian asked.

"Well, I know that it's a theory about time travel-you sneeze and a city goes, step on a butterfly and goodbye Universe. That of course applies to traveling in the past" Shirou said, confidently.

"That's pretty good" Sebastian commented "But that's not the whole thing, nor is it entirely accurate; all things considered. The whole destroying the Universe thing would have already happened the second I appeared here, if it was true. But the future I come from could cease entirely and I could disappear from existence itself. I've already met my mother, however much by chance I would have liked it to be-I've destroyed land, even went as far as to come find you and talk to you. And not one of you is supposed to even see me yet"

"So what you're saying is you know our future selves?" Shirou was contemplative.

"In a manner of speaking" Sebastian nodded "There is another problem as well"

"And what's that?"

"There is a man, whose purpose is still unknown, although I believe I know his ultimate goal" Sebastian looked and saw his 'stalkers' walk into the shop.

"It's not a very good one, I take it?" Shirou asked.

Sebastian nodded.

"I won't go into particulars, but it's essentially why I asked for your help" he said "If you know any place in the city I might be able to check, any lead to anything strange, I would appreciate it"

"Okay, I know you asked for more from me" Shirou said "Say I believe you; why did you come back here?"

"I didn't do it on purpose" Sebastian looked down "If I had it my way-then none of this would have happened" mom…

"You mean you were forced?" Shirou asked.

"Literally dragged into here; I don't know why exactly-even if I do know more, and history as I know it doesn't have anything particularly interesting happening" Sebastian was thoughtful "There is an incident my mother had talked about, but that was several years in the future-unless…"

The Butterfly effect. That would explain everything.

"If only I knew more" Sebastian said.

"You said that you know me, at least. I mean, when we spoke at my house, I got that vibe from you" Shirou grabbed the tea as the waitress set them down "This Effect of yours won't kick in if you say anything, will it"

"Normally I would say that it would; as we shouldn't have met for another twenty-four years" Sebastian sipped the tea "But that was why I came to you, who you are and what you do are so ingrained within itself, that very little if anything would change the timeline. At least that's a hunch"

"By twenty-four years you mean…?" Shirou looked surprised.

"Yes, that's when I'm born-my parents couldn't conceive me until then, for a number of untold reasons, and I never asked" Sebastian looked sheepish.

"So then what do you know about me?" Shirou asked, testingly.

"I will not give you history that hasn't happened yet; but you're adopted, well-liked by your peers, you like to help out others, you used to play Archery, you have an affinity for sword fighting, you like to cook food-and your cooking is the best by the way. You collect metal and other junk because you like fixing things, you place others above yourself-"

"Okay, so you either are telling the truth or you really are a stalker" Shirou said "I don't get that vibe from you, though"

"That's good then" Sebastian sipped his tea.

"Next question is how do you know me?" Shirou asked, amiably.

"I would really like to keep that to myself" Sebastian sighed "But I suppose if it would help-"

"You don't have to, I'm just curious" Shirou looked apologetic "But when we were in my room, you asked about metal-care to elaborate"

Sebastian slowly smiled a real smile.

"Not really-I want to show you"

"The value placed on a human life means nothing in reality, not when eternity itself is on the line"-Ling Yao, Prince of Xing.

"What is this, then?" Shirou asked.

They were in the Einzbern residence backyard. Sebastian just finished setting up a transmutation circle.

"I am going to show you some of what I do. Knowing the rules don't strictly apply just yet to my form of Science, and I already have broken the rules that I know of with time, this will be a synch" Sebastian declared "Now place all the metal here, and I will begin"

Shirou placed what looked like a year's worth of metal saving inside the circle. Sebastian put on his Alchemist's glove and began his work.

Within a few minutes, he had one blob of iron, and a very impressed and indeed shocked Shirou.

"W-What just happened?" he asked.

"I transmuted all those scraps into one big ball of iron" Sebastian rolled up his sleeves in a first attempt at transmuting them to silver. He needed the money, and his dad always said that silver was the more likely metal to become transmutable.

'I don't want it, I need it-I don't want it, I need it'

"What are you doing?" Shirou asked.

"I'm doing what very few of my kind have ever done" Sebastian said "Er-At least I'm attempting it. Gold and Silver and Bronze-metals often used in currency…in the past; are extremely hard to transmute from. Metal is a must, and the mental block humans put on it must be removed"

"Removed?" Shirou asked.

"The Law of Equivalent Exchange-to get anything, you have to give up at least something of an equal amount" Sebastian replied "However, matter cannot be created or destroyed by us, no matter how much we try"

"So a ball of iron can't turn into a smaller ball of gold, then. Did I get that right?" Shirou asked.

"That just about sums it up" Sebastian gave a small smile "So now you see the dilemma"

"I think so" Shirou said "Basically you can't get a big blob of silver unless Silver is less than Iron, and since we have turned those metals into something of great value, it becomes impossible to obtain them without great effort"

"Exactly. But there have been people that have transmuted things into Silver before-they are so rare that you don't see them every century, but they do exist" Sebastian sighed "It comes down to what you deep down see the metal as; the people in question that were able to do the transmutation often couldn't repeat the feat if their desire for the money it would inevitably provide is greater than their desire for the metal. And it isn't just those three metals; iron, mercury, aluminum-anything where high value is placed over the target of the exchange become impossible for transmutation"

"That must suck" Shirou said.

"That's the greed of the world, unc-um Shirou" Sebastian cringed.

"So you intend to use this to get money?" Shirou asked.

"Yep, I am" Sebastian said "I need a base of operations during my stay here. My magic tricks were cool, but I can't draw the attention"

"But you just explained to me why it's impossible" Shirou said.

"Yes, but I can probably take that Iron-with your permission-and pawn it off at a scrapyard" Sebastian said "And with the high Iron demand, I might get more than I would for Silver of the same size"

"You intend to trick yourself, then?"

"It's what I have to go on" Sebastian said.

"You know, you could always stay here for-"

"That's not going to happen" Sebastian said "No offense, but it would be better if I lived far enough away from here-I've already been seen by too many, and I don't want anyone here dragged into my fight" And because this is his family's house, but Sebastian didn't say that.

"Okay then, I was just offering" Shirou held his hands up in surrender.

Sebastian tried the transmutation without success.

"I take it that you failed" Shirou said, after a minute.

"Yes, but that was expected" Sebastian went over the computation in his head. And he tried again.

"Well it's not working" Sebastian said.

"Does it have to be a large round ball?" Shirou asked.

"Well I can't shrink it-" Sebastian thought about it "Perhaps it's simply too big of a sphere"

And so Sebastian turned the one sphere of Iron into several smaller spheres. The idea behind it is a smaller surface area-the bigger the ball of Silver, the bigger the end price, and somehow that was ingrained way too far in Sebastian's consciousness.

Therefore, providing smaller surface areas might liberate that a bit; after all-how much does one large sphere of Iron cost, versus the several smaller spheres of Silver. Whereas the buyer might sell the spheres of Silver at a higher rate, he might instead melt the large sphere of Iron.

And as long as Sebastian had a fighting chance, the money he received didn't matter. Moreover, when this was done, he was going to repay his Uncle.

"I did what I did to prove I could do it, not to shamelessly profit off it, or to cause wars and collapses"-Nicolas Flamel, Legendary Alchemist (Translation)

He had done it. Sebastian left the Pawn shop with six million Yen, happy that for a little while he could focus on finding his enemy. He was dead tired, having not slept since coming here from his time, and the little hunk of bread he had when his mother-eh Illya was trapped in that tree wasn't helping him.

He had promised Shirou that he would keep in touch, especially if he needed assistance. His Uncle had readily believed him after the little demonstration in Alchemy, even if his story was a little far-fetched.

The first place to look was obviously the iconic bridge-some kind of accident happened in which a car had mysteriously been crushed.

There was also the matter with a series of other smaller accidents of various kinds that trailed to one of the local schools.

The mansion that just appeared overnight across the street of the Einzberns seemed suspicious to Shirou, but thanks to the future Sebastian was a part of, he knew who lived there.

That was Miss Edelfelt.

Those two stalkers were at it once more. Sebastian didn't want to deal with them, but also didn't need them tailing him all the time.

He was going to confront them, head to head. Whatever they wanted, they weren't getting it from him. And he stopped and waited; he was going to get a metal arm brace, but this couldn't wait.

A metal fence was conveniently waiting there, and he transmuted it into a small sword, which he had attached to his hand.

He bent the light around him, so as to appear invisible. The two stalkers tensed up at his disappearance, and began frantically searching. This was why he would always win at hide and seek; thank you alchemy.

Sebastian moved fast, and the stalkers didn't react on time.

He hit one in the stomach, and tripped the other, planting his right foot right on the chest.

"I don't know who you are and I don't care, what are you doing following me?" he asked loudly.

"Owww, oh how un-lady like; you didn't have to hit so hard" Miss Edelfelt got up clutching her stomach.

"Y-you two?" Sebastian was dumbstruck "What are you doing following me?"

"We have questions and you're going to answer them" Miss Tohsaka said from the ground.

"Yes, well-we were worried about what you might do to Shirou, who I am slated to marry by the way" Miss Edelfelt said proudly.

"You! How do you get off saying such lies?" Miss Tohsaka screeched, trying to free herself "And can you get off my chest, I can't breathe too well"

"Oh, sorry" Sebastian was beet red, and looked away.

"Oh, please-there isn't much of a chest to squeeze" Miss Edelfelt laughed her trademark laugh.

"Why you little…" Miss Tohsaka scrunched her fists outward at the remark.

"Listen, I did nothing to Uncl-um Shirou, so you don't have to worry" Sebastian turned to walk away.

"Right, so a man that just happens to know the Einzberns falls from the sky and walks away like nothing happened?" Miss Edelfelt accused "You ran away when you knew who Illya was, and show up at the door asking for Emiya-kun, with no ulterior motive whatsoever?"

"You wouldn't believe me even if I told you, and besides-I want you all to forget you ever saw me" Sebastian looked away from them "I'm not important, and I wish no harm on Shirou or his family"

"Yeah, that's not going to cut it with us" Miss Tohsaka straightened out her dress "We heard most of your conversation at the Coffee shop, and you know what we are. We're honor bound to figure out who and what you are. And if I find out you're nothing more than a pervert who's after little girls, I'll-"

"What, kill me?" he shook his head "I've seen worse in the last day than you've probably seen you're entire life; card searching aside"

They gasped at his remark; it was obvious he wasn't supposed to know.

"That little girl and I won't become intimate for another twenty-four years, and I have no intention of changing that at all-and actually you eavesdropped on my story, so you know my position" Sebastian allowed a bit of bite into his words "So why would you risk all this just for curiosities sake, because you all well know I'm not a threat to you?"

"We don't know that, you could be lying about the whole thing" Miss Edelfelt said.

"I have no reason to lie" Sebastian said.

"No, not outwardly-your last comment unnerved me" Miss Tohsaka readied herself for a fight "You becoming 'intimate' with Illyasviel at any length of time disturbs me"

"So let it" Sebastian started walking away "You won't be saying that in the future; provided it still exists. Please don't follow me; I don't want to have to knock you out" 'please forgive me, you two'

An explosion rocked his left, and he turned.

"We have no intention of letting you go" Miss Edelfelt said, smiling "Either you come back with us quietly or we will take you by force"

"This is a mistake, you two" Sebastian said "You can't compete with my skill"

"Try us" Miss Tohsaka smiled "We're not just two bit Magi, you know"

"Your mana supplies lack what I have, this battle is already over" Sebastian put his Alchemist's glove on "You now face the Son of Fullmetal. This won't take long"

Sebastian clapped his hands, generating electricity using the friction in the air and the instability of the sky (it was going to storm soon).

He threw electrical balls at the two, who deftly dodged them. Miss Tohsaka made a gun with her hand and shot "Gandr".

He zigzagged through that, only to be thrown back by her fire spell. He knew they both carried jewels filled with mana, and that helped supplement their power. Rin was formidable because of her rare trait of elemental control.

But he had such control as well, a perk to being an alchemist.

Sebastian projected a concentrated burst of fire and oxygen and threw it at her. It acted like a grenade. She barely dodged it, before he tried again.

Luvia on the other hand was not standing idle. She had thrown several jewels in an attempt to capture him in a barrier while Rin was fighting him.

"Gandr" she said, firing in the same manner as Rin.

"I won't be able to dodge this forever" he said.

He used a burst of air, and summersaulted over Rin, elbowing her in the head and knocking her down.

"That didn't take you out, huh?" he engaged in hand to hand combat with Luvia while Rin was still down.

"How were you doing that stuff without mana?" Luvia asked, gasping for breath as he kicked her in the stomach again.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" he said, adjusting himself when Rin tackled him in a fit of rage.

"You created that explosion out of thin air!" she said "I sensed no magecraft-and your fighting style is good. How do you know our moves?"

'Maybe it's because you both taught me how to fight when I was younger' he didn't tell them that.

"It seems you know all of us" Luvia said, preparing for more.

"Then you'll believe me when I say I'm from the future?" he said, and clapped his hands once-again generating electric balls.

They charged him again, despite the injuries they received.

"That's not good enough!" Rin yelled, and surrounded herself with an ice whip.

"That's new" he turned his head to the side.

"Why do I get the feeling you are familiar?" Luvia asked "It is disconcerting"

"That's what that little girl said before she fell in the bog and you two laughed at her" Sebastian walked towards them, his arms outstretched, and hands holding the balls of electricity steady "You will walk away, before I'm forced to do something I hoped I'd never have to do to you"

Rin held a hand with jewels in between the fingers.

"Well Luvia" she said "Ready for round two?"

"When you are" She answered, jewels also in her hands.

Rin went first, tangling him in the whip, and using the distraction to throw her jewels at him.

Luvia followed, firing "Gandr" when she threw hers as well.

Sebastian was bombarded with magic on both sides, as they worked to subdue him. This wasn't going well. When they were finished, he could barely move.

"Finally, I think we got him" Rin laughed nervously.

"I think my stomach's going to hurt for a while" Luvia complained.

"Well, Mr. Future-I think it's time we bring you back, are you going to come quietly or are we going to have to do this the hard way?"

His only response was to scream in anger. Sebastian 'switched', and allowed his mana to fuel his body, healing his aches. The resulting blast was enough to throw the two Magi back, their feet slid across the pavement.

"YOU WANTED TO KNOW WHO AND WHAT I AM, RIGHT?" Sebastian screamed, his mana charged through him at levels they only dreamed of.

"That's not possible!" Rin exclaimed.

"This was more along the lines of what we saw when he first showed up" Luvia was equally surprised.

"The level of magical energy coursing through him, though" Rin continued "I've only ever seen that one other time"

"Yeah, when we were fighting that Assassin Class Card" Luvia remarked "But she couldn't control hers"

"How many people do you know with that hair color and those red eyes?" Rin asked.

"I can only think of two, and we still don't know what's up with that" Luvia looked at her erstwhile ally.

"This is my true power" Sebastian moved his hand, and a magic circle appeared "You will either turn back, or witness my wrath" the circle started spinning, and a ball of pure mana appeared.

"This is bad" Rin said "We managed to really piss him off"

"We won't get another chance at this!" Luvia countered.

"No, delectable ladies" an ominous voice said "I don't think you will; and I have the Alchemist right where I want him"


	4. Chapter 4

He walked clad in black,

His weapon was scales; with them he wrongfully judged,

Believing the error of Humanity, such as is,

Denied them the basic nourishments,

Conceived a plan to bomb their dwellings,

Shame on them for their ways,

Alchemy he punished their bellies with,

Famine he was, and Number three.

'We are the four horsemen'

 **Chapter 4**

Sebastian looked at the sky. There, without a doubt-hovering as if from the very air itself, was the man that had held his mom's hair.

Sebastian clenched his fists in fury.

"I was hoping you'd show up eventually" the man said from the air "I wanted to have a little fun while we wait for the opportune moment"

"You wait for nothing mad man" Sebastian said, and pointed his charged Magic Circle at him "Because you won't live to see it"

"That's the spirit" the man laughed "You may put up a better fight than dear mommy did"

"AUGGH" Sebastian fired his Mana Cannon, which the man deflected to the right.

"That was powerful stuff there" he laughed "As expected from a fellow Homunculus"

"How dare you compare me to those horrid abominations" Sebastian summoned three more Magic Circles "I have more mana than I'd ever need"

"And the Master said he took it all" the man tutted "Oh well…So Elric-I have a wager for you"

"I'll not play your games" Sebastian countered.

"Okay, who the hell his that guy?!" Luvia pointed to the mad man.

"I'm glad you asked, pretty girl" he waved his hand and what looked like lotus' swarmed out of him "I am Number Three-or Famine if you will"

"Famine?" Rin asked.

"It's a gimmick of these freaks" Sebastian said "I don't think those are normal insects"

"And you'd be right" Famine laughed "Destroy the houses my children. Give these 'Japanese' a reason to fear the Famine of the Hearth!"

And the Lotus' exploded, destroying much of the neighborhood. Screams of pain and terror could be heard, and Sebastian's heart clamped like a nut cracker.

"No!" he screamed, and fired his cannons.

"T-there was no reason for that" Rin looked stricken, like she wanted to cry.

"Okay, our differences put aside-that thing needs to die!" Luvia exclaimed.

"I agree" Rin said, tears in her eyes "We need to think of something"

"We'd stand a better chance with him on the ground" Sebastian said "My mana cannons aren't working"

"It's just too bad we can't fly" Luvia said "With Sapphire I stood a chance, but we're far enough away that Miyu wouldn't have been able to tell that was an explosion"

"I'm not entirely sure I'd want them here right now" Rin said "The way he looks at us is creepy"

"I've got an idea" Sebastian said "Gandr" he shot the Finnish curse at the man.

"Projectiles might still work" Rin said, and fired her own shots.

"Oh, that's lovely-the way you take that stance opens up your legs a little more than is comfortable" Famine summoned more of his bugs and sent them to her.

"Miss Tohsaka!" Sebastian jumped upward, using a barrier spell to levitate, destroying the bugs with a fire spell.

"Ooh, so you can fly to a point" Famine clapped his hands, and rain clouds appeared "My Acid rain is sure to be a melting pot of goodness"

"He wasn't this goofy when he held mom hostage" Sebastian gasped at the cloud's size "That can't be good for the citizens"

"Why do you care for them so?" Famine smiled in a cynical way "Homunculi are so much better than humans-although you have their taint, don't you? Just like your mother…RAIN!"

Sebastian fired a prana cannon at the cloud, which destroyed it, but not before a sheet of rain hit him.

"Agggggh" he gnashed his teeth in pain, almost losing balance.

"That must have hurt you a little, due to your human genes, so just imagine what it's going to be like for those girls down there!"

"Watch out!" Sebastian yelled, just as the rain touched them "Bastard!" he punched Famine to the ground and zoomed after him, landing just as he got up.

"EEEK!" Rin yelped as the rain it her, and she thrashed on the ground. Luvia wasn't far off.

"You disgust me" Sebastian whispered.

"I know-but those tasty things would have gotten in the way" And Famine summoned a black horse, and did mount it "Now it's just you and me"

Sebastian summoned five Magic circles, for each of the elements, and charged them to ready.

"I will kill you for what you've done" he spat.

"It won't be so easy for you, Elric" Famine replied, and shook his scales.

Hideous bug things erupted from the ground, clicking and buzzing and chirping.

"Dinner, my pets" Famine said "Make sure you eat the lady in the red dress first, I want to see it now"

"Trace!" Sebastian summoned swords and killed one of the bugs "You will not touch them"

"Oh, did you think those were the only ones" Famine smiled as more appeared on the other side of the Magi "You won't get them all before she dies, Elric"

Sebastian started chanting, summoning barriers around Rin and Luvia. In addition, he provided the barriers with healing capabilities to bolster their recovery.

"That's impressive" Famine said "But more are coming up underneath"

Sebastian reinforced his legs, and proceeded to kill all the monstrous bugs, and Famine just summoned more. He used his smaller bugs for the transmutation, and his own hair.

"Homunculus" he whispered. They were the only ones that could do that, as his dad told him once.

"I have been hinting that since the start" the thing laughed.

"And all of you are like that?"

"That's why we called ourselves the Four Horsemen" he replied.

"The heart is the weakest link to a Homunculus; which contains their power source: an incomplete corrupted Philosopher's Stone. It is created with the souls of men, and is as abominable as they are"-Edward Elric, on the subject of Necromantic Homunculi.

"Now about that wager" Famine laughed.

"I won't" Sebastian traced a gun, and fed mana to it.

"Ohh, what a neat little thing" Famine clapped his hands and produced metal swords from the metal fence that Sebastian had previously used "You really know how to use your power"

"I learned from the best" Sebastian fired mana shots at Famine, which most were deflected using the swords he made. The rest were deflected by his scales, which doubled as a Mystic Code.

"What did that thing just do?" Sebastian said.

Famine charged using the horse he summoned and swung, nearly taking Sebastian's head off. He turned and charged again, jumping over the bodies of the Magi in the process.

"I'm sick of the apocalypse getup, Homunculus" Sebastian balanced on his barrier spell, and summoned more Magic Circles.

The freaking horse started flying; no wings attached, and ran Sebastian to the ground.

"I-I'm back" Rin said.

"So am I" Luvia said.

Famine turned, and Sebastian took the opportunity of his surprise to jump on the flying horse. It bucked and thrashed, trying desperately to throw him off.

"Miss Tohsaka!" Sebastian yelled "The whip"

She created the Ice whip and tangled the horse in it. Famine fell down.

"Time to pay, fiend!" Luvia threw her jewels and trapped him in a barrier.

"That-that was creepy" Rin said, looking like a mess.

"There's no way we'll be able to explain this to the Mages Association" Luvia sighed.

"There are people dead in that blast" Sebastian let his circles and weapons disappear.

"It looks like I lost" Famine didn't seem to put out about it.

"He's going to attempt something" Sebastian said "We should end him"

"But he can tell us things" Rin said "Things we need to know"

"And whatever he says might be a lie" Sebastian looked disgusted "The Homunculus should die"

"We at least need to know how many there are" Luvia said "They aren't destroying this town on my watch"

"You would destroy the town yourself, no need to ask his help" Rin pushed her hair back.

"What did you just say?" Luvia yelled.

"Oh you're in a pickle I think" Famine said, from his cage "What to do, what to do"

"You need to stop" Sebastian looked at it.

"And you are an enigma" the thing smiled "I think I'll have fun for a while. How about we talk about what we did to poor little Mommy"

"How about you don't-and tell me what you're end game is?" Sebastian said, irked.

"Ooh, I don't think I can get you riled up" he said "What makes you think I'd tell you?"

"Because you're in no position to do otherwise" Rin said "And we can do much worse to the man who ended those innocent lives"

"You can do worse than me?" Famine smiled "I wonder how different you are from me, then, to be capable of such…torture?"

"If you won't say anything, then there's no reason to keep you alive" Sebastian summoned a weapon, and pointed it at the thing "One stab through the heart and you're gone for good"

"Such a need to pierce my heart; it must hurt being here, away from your friends and family-never to see them again"

"Are you trying to get me to kill you?" Sebastian rounded on the prisoner "Is that what you're up to?"

"Was it that obvious?" Famine asked.

"Why? Why do you want me to kill you?" Sebastian asked.

"Why do you insist on asking such pointless questions?" the Homunculus countered "It comes down to you either having the will to end my existence or to chicken out…like your father"

Sebastian stabbed him in the chest, and punctured his heart.

"That man wanted to die" he said quietly "The magic binding him and his cursed horse wasn't enough to keep him down"

"And why is that?" Luvia asked.

"It could be any number of reasons" Sebastian let his sword disappear "My head is spinning with such scenarios, each as unlikely as the next. For all I know, he has a copy somewhere"

"And you let him get to you like that?" Rin accused.

"We didn't need him alive, as he wouldn't have said anything useful anyway" Sebastian looked at them.

"We could have tortured him" Luvia said.

"That kind of thing wouldn't work on a Homunculus; they are incredibly versatile and resistant to normal afflictions" Sebastian said.

"But he was a prisoner, he might have talked eventually" Rin countered.

"You don't understand" Sebastian spat "That thing was toying with us, he wanted to be caught. Homunculi are very powerful and dangerous entities; and our childish attacks wouldn't have done anything to them. They are evil, created when someone tries to bring others back from the dead"

Rin gasped and Luvia put her hand to her mouth.

"You mean that thing was once alive?" Rin asked.

"No-not in the way that you think" Sebastian sighed "The battle we had before he showed up, the abilities I displayed are what we call Alchemy"

"Alchemy isn't that powerful of an offensive art" Rin said "And the prana input is too much for many of us to use it effectively"

"This isn't Magic based Alchemy; which is a trifle of a thing. This is real power, governed by the Laws of Science-the greatest of which is the Law of Equivalent Exchange" Sebastian saw their attentive gazes "I shouldn't be telling you any of this"

"You are worried about the timeline changing and look at what that man did" Rin gestured around them to the destroyed neighborhood "There is simply no way you're going to fix that"

They did have a point; this world's probably swimming in differences now that this battle happened. Sebastian wanted to go home…he wanted to go to sleep and wake up to his mom cooking breakfast, and his dad talking about the current politics of the age…he wanted them to tell him they loved him like they did every day, wanted to hear their laughs and see their smiles. He wanted to go back to school and see his friends and teachers; wanted to find young love like so many of his peers…he wanted to live his life, forty years in the future.

"Your eyes are wet" Rin held a napkin for him, and he touched his eyes, wiping them.

He believed that future was gone.

"You want me to win you the Grail with this? It's useless to me, like a computer stuck in a pretty body. It can't even properly defend itself"-Kiritsugu Emiya, on the subject of the Einzbern Homunculus: Irisviel Von Einzbern

"This is quite the house" Sebastian commented.

"Why thank you" Luvia said, and smiled "Auguste, please do prepare Mr. Elric a room, as he will be staying here for an indeterminable amount of time"

"Well, I think-" Sebastian protested.

"Didn't we just get done telling you that the history of this time has changed" Luvia looked at him "This is for me as much as it's for you, as we will work together in defeating these…Homunculi"

"But-" Sebastian tried again.

"Would you just accept the invitation?" Rin sighed "I hate to admit it, but you're probably not getting a better place than this, and it's magically protected"

Sebastian never thought about that. The Magical protection is no match for the 'Four Horsemen', but does give him some benefits in terms of advanced warning and even an advantageous battleground. As far as he knew, Homunculi couldn't use Magecraft, which was good for him.

"Besides, you look like you're going to pass out" Luvia said "Even if you found a place; it's probable that you won't be coherent enough to talk to anyone, much less rent from them"

"Okay, you made your point" Sebastian stumbled on the stairs "I have been awake since yesterday morning…well I don't know how time works when you go backwards-b-but" his eyes had tears again.

'Get a grip Sebastian, you're dad would've handled this better…right?'

"Whatever happened must have been traumatic" Rin gave him another tissue.

"The room is ready, mistress" Auguste bowed.

"Thank you, now could you help our guest to his room, I don't think he'll make it otherwise" Luvia said.

"Right away, ma'am" he said.

"Good night" she told Sebastian "we'll talk tomorrow, and you're going to spill the beans on what's going on"

'That can't be good'

Sebastian didn't hesitate when his head hit the pillow; and his mana started healing his body.

His dreams were of better days.


	5. Chapter 5

To attempt to make this clear would over simplify it,

That time simply and realistically doesn't cater to man's designs or reasons of Logic,

And even more pronounced, is that time moves forward, even if man moves backward.

It's this one immovable truth that sends the doubt of effects and paradoxes out the window:

Time is immeasurable, and Absolute.

 **Chapter 5**

Sebastian woke up early the next morning, dreading the conversation with his two mentors…well used to be anyway. Both stayed in Japan with their families in his timeline; both were mothers in their own right. He'd be sure not to tell them anything that would hurt-

"I have to find more information on the destructive effects of time" he mused "This is an ongoing problem for me"

Since he only had the clothes on his back, he went to a small bathroom and washed himself. He resolved to get supplies with his money he acquired yesterday, some of which would be clothes.

Deciding that he would be better suited as a magus today, Sebastian stayed in the form with access to his mana, and went downstairs to look for the dining room. Despite the grandness of the house, the dining room was easily found…but within he found someone he did not expect.

His mother's unknown twin.

She was eating breakfast, and sported what appeared to be a school uniform. When she looked up, her spoon hit the bowl in shock.

They stared at one another for perhaps a minute, neither moving. Then she sprang into action, her clothing became that more styled like what she had on the other day.

"Trace" she said, and weapons appeared. She threw them without warning, and summoned more.

Sebastian dodged the first two, and was nearly taken out by the next two.

"Trace" he repeated, and summoned two of his own. He parried the incoming swords, and made a mad dash to intercept her before she could throw more.

He matched her, blow to blow, as they fought with swords. Every time she tried creating distance, he was there to increase hammering blows on her, giving her no time to be able to throw her weapons.

"Okay, little girl, would you stop trying to kill me "Sebastian said between blows.

"Why?!" she responded "Why do you invoke these feeling in me-I half want to hug you as much as fight you"

"I have no idea, but it seems to me that you like to fight people more than you like to talk" Sebastian countered "I also have these feelings of knowing you for years, but that is impossible"

She renewed her speed in fighting him.

"You stopped me from killing her, why did you interfere?" she said, her countenance becoming more painful by the second.

"If you're referring to yesterday, I simply didn't want to see children die…not after what I witnessed with my very eyes" Sebastian left out the part of his relation, but his statement was just as true.

He parried a blow from her left, knocking out the blade from her grip. She immediately curled her hand in a fist and punched him in the stomach, throwing him back several feet.

This gave her the leverage she needed to continue her projectile barrage.

Sebastian was out of options; she would not let him get close again if she could help it. He dodged incoming swords, and reinforced a side table. The makeshift shield would give him some breathing room while he thought of a way to distract her.

"So now you hide in a corner like a caged animal" she was on the big light fixture in the center of the room, looking down on him.

"It's better than becoming swish cheese" Sebastian countered.

That, despite the tense situation, was enough to make her laugh.

"That's funny" she created a bow "But I'm done playing games-you will pay for saving _her_ life…and responsibility for giving me this" she pointed to her stomach, with that weird mark that looks like blood.

"Is that…a blood seal?" he asked, and dodged an arrow.

"It is a torment to me" she said "That I should have to work hard for what she considers normal"

"And I have no idea what you're talking about" Sebastian said without thinking "She never mentioned a sister"

"Who never mentioned a sister?" Rin and Luvia walked in.

"I thought we had an agreement about you behaving" Luvia said.

The girl sighed and her weapons disappeared. She looked at Sebastian curiously, as if not understanding something.

"'She never mentioned a sister'" she laughed a cynical, mirthless laugh "That's probably because she never had one…or to be frank I never had one"

"What do you mean?" Sebastian asked, a pit in his stomach.

"That girl you saved, when you fell out of the sky-she and I are the same" she was wearing her school clothes "I am Illyasviel Von Einzbern, nice to make your acquaintance" she was neither smiling nor happy about it.

"Kuro, what a mess you've made" Rin said "She's going to make me clean it, you know"

"And I'm supposed to care because?" Kuro walked towards the exit "We are not finished, you and I"

And she was gone.

"What the hell is going on here?" Sebastian looked at them "Who put the blood seal on her?"

"We did, after it was clear she would continue to attack Illya" Rin said, then turned to Luvia "Are you going to tell him, or should I"

"Should you what?" Sebastian asked.

"We've decided you are going to attend school" Luvia said, glaring at Rin.

"But, Miss Edelfelt-" Sebastian began.

"There is no buts" Luvia said "The thing is, I don't trust you, and you need to get over this roadblock of yours"

"What roadblock?" Sebastian asked, perplexed.

"You are afraid of changing things" Rin said "And we want answers, answers you don't want to give-like that statement about you and Illya, and how you seem to know many of us. And don't try to deny it, we see it in your face when you talk to us, and there's no way you can be this powerful and be a stalker"

"At least that's our thought process" Luvia said "So I spent yesterday setting up your enrollment"

"School's going to be out soon" Sebastian said "There's no reason I need to attend, and time aside-what am I going to wear?"

He gestured to himself and his Alchemist's robe that he had on since before coming here.

Luvia grinned, and Sebastian groaned.

"You being an exceptional Magus…I'm sure you can figure it out" she said.

"I'm not going to school with white hair and red eyes" Sebastian said "It may look okay on my mom-er them, but it makes me look creepy and attracts too much attention"

"And your blonde hair and blue eyes don't?" Rin said.

"Yes, there was somewhat of a debate with that" Luvia said "I personally wanted you with blonde hair-"

"That was because you wanted to introduce him as your brother" Rin looked at Luvia.

"I can't believe I am having this discussion with anyone" Sebastian said, and balked "Introduce me as what?"

"Give that you would stand out either way" Rin said "We thought it was more appropriate to give your identity as an Einzbern…and as long as no one questions it, we should be okay"

"Yep, your unique colors really do make it the best choice" Luvia said reluctantly.

"Forget it" Sebastian said "I am an Elric, not some crazy other name-and you'd be making a mistake giving me that name"

"And why is that?" Rin raised an eyebrow.

'This is all falling apart' he thought.

"You ask me that, knowing they live across the street" Sebastian said, pointing in their direction "There would be scores of issues if they ever found out"

"And those issues would be?" Luvia crossed her arms, a smirk across her face.

'They trapped me. I can't believe they trapped me'

"I know you would rather hunt those Homunculi and find out what they intend" Luvia said "But I-uh-we know that you wouldn't succeed without help, and considering the damage one had cost-The Mages Association would step in if we were remiss in our duties"

"Yeah-somehow I forgot about them" he relented.

"That all being said, we intend that you give up your secrets to us-to determine your nature, and neutralize you if necessary" Rin said "Timeline excuses won't hold out anymore, this is bigger than that. Because even if you don't change history, those guys will"

"Fine, but I do this against my better judgement" he said.

"It feels like time is passing so quickly. Damn you, Einstein! Your science is crowding in on our kiss! He was right. The passage of time depends entirely on where you're standing. Relativity Theory... it's so romantic. But it's just so tragic too"- Makise Kurisu, when talking about time (Steins;Gate)

Sebastian walked into the classroom, and with a start noticed Shirou among the students. Rin and Luvia were sitting close to him relatively speaking, while he was in conversation with Aunt Sakura. Luvia grinned mischievously, smiling triumphantly at the scene that's about to take place. He was wearing the school uniform, but his were still on order…meaning that he had 'traced' clothes on. That served to eat up his mana, but Luvia had underestimated the amount of mana he had-which ultimately was less than his mother, but was formidable nonetheless.

She appeared to think this was a game.

Sebastian intended to end this game and fast.

"Alright class, settle down" the teacher walked in "Today we have a transfer student, coming all the way from Germany"

Sebastian looked at Luvia, and frowned at her. True it would make sense, given his last name's etymology…well both of them (Elric and Einzbern were German), but she seemed intent on making escape difficult. Two can play at this game.

"So Einzbern, tell us a little about yourself" the teacher said.

"Sie werden für diese Edelfelt bezahlen , nur Sie warten" he said aloud, and the class just stared.

"Could you repeat that in Japanese, please" the teacher asked kindly.

"I am afraid I don't have much to tell, except my surname is-" Sebastian was interrupted by Luvia.

"He asked you to repeat what you said in Japanese…or did you just forget that?" she smiled.

'What is this girl playing at?'

"It was a comment that was unnecessary" Sebastian relented "I am here only to learn, that is all" he gave a cursory bow than took a seat. He made sure to sit next to Luvia.

"Why are you doing this to me?" he asked "Knowing full well that Shirou lives with them"

"He's the only one that would question it, and besides-this enemy guy you speak of won't be looking for an Einzbern" she said "Although that comment about me paying for this was unwarranted"

The enemy not looking for an Einzbern is still up for debate actually. He seemed to think Sebastian was a Homunculus, and that his mother was one as well. But if they lived in Germany at some point, maybe he would start in the wrong place. As it was, Sebastian would have to throw off Shirou-though his family bearing the Einzbern name disturbed him, Sebastian knew that Shirou would know that name by living with them every day.

"This is a mistake" he said, and sighed. It would be question time when this was over, and he dreaded that.

"Conflict is humanity's primal instinct. Eliminating it would mean eliminating humanity itself" - Kirei Kotomine, The Holy Grail Wars

Sebastian was pushed against the fence. He knew this would inevitably happen.

"What are you doing, Elric?" Shirou looked pissed…actually this is very first time he had seen his Uncle agitated past and future "I should report you to the authorities, for falsifying your identity"

"Why don't you ask Edelfelt, she's the one that did it" Sebastian said.

"And I suppose she did this as well?" he gestured to Sebastian's hair and eyes.

There was no way he was getting out of this one.

"I can't give you an answer to that" he said.

"Right, it's because you don't want to destroy the timeline" he let him go "I can look past all of this, but you remind me too much of my sister, and that's something that needs to be addressed"

"I can't tell you why" he said "It would open up things that should remain buried"

"You have to give me something to calm myself" Shirou looked at him "I need to know why you even came to school, instead of looking for that-well whatever it is you're looking for"

"She wants to help me" Sebastian said "You know that explosion everyone was talking about?"

"Don't tell me that was you" he rounded on him.

"That was my enemy actually, one of them anyway" Sebastian said "Miss Edelfelt and Miss Tohsaka helped me defeat him, but that involvement is what sparked the whole school thing"

"So in trying to minimize damage, you had to include extra people" Shirou shook his head.

"Actually the whole saving the timeline got thrown out the window, when he did what he did" Sebastian said.

"How did Edelfelt and Tohsaka help you, and for that matter why do you look so different?" Shirou asked.

"I want to tell you, but I don't think I can" Sebastian looked down "There are rules to the world I am apart of-"

"I think we can handle this one" Rin and Luvia walked up, the door to the school closing behind them.

"You two" Shirou turned to them "Is what he saying true? Did you really catch the man responsible for that explosion?"

"Shirou, can you wait until school is over?" Rin asked "We'd be happy to tell you what we know then"

"Did you really tell him to enroll with my sister's name?" he asked Luvia.

"No" she said "I didn't give him the choice actually. I think we'd all like to know somethings though, right?" she looked at Sebastian.

"Guys, knowledge is dangerous-" he began.

"Splendid, we'll all meet at my house tonight. I'll have Illya come over and-"

"No" both men said at once, and looked at each other.

"Wow, that's new" Rin looked at Sebastian "And just why not?"

"Do I even need to answer that?" he looked incredulous "The girl's ten years old, right?" he asked Shirou.

"Yeah, not a very good age for information like this" Shirou agreed "But on a different subject, there is something bigger going on here, isn't there?"

"Unfortunately yes" Sebastian said "And I managed to drag too many people into this"

"Well that's only natural, if you are what you say you are" a voice said.

Sebastian looked and saw the Mystic Code from earlier and the other girl as well…and she wearing that frilly thing again.

"This cannot be happening" Sebastian said.


	6. Chapter 6

The Ties between mother and son are great.

The boy who is tough can be weak to his mom.

Likewise the mother defends her son with vigor, often favoring him over a daughter.

Those ties are tried with time, and weeping-

The boy strengthens his resolve for such.

And hopes his wife too should be such with his son.

Thus did women hold incredible power before their rights were given.

And great men were great because of their mother.

The ties between mother and son are great.

This is a historical trait.

 **Chapter 6**

Sebastian was an Alchemist again. He wanted to show them how he 'switched' as he called it. After school he had visited the clothes store and secured a small wardrobe. He never needed much clothes, but the fashion was very different than in his time, and he was perplexed as to proceed now that he had need to go to a school again.

And not for the first time today did he end up cursing Miss Edelfelt, as he was now required to spill the beans of such things as he wanted to stay hidden.

She had of course given him what he required as an Alchemist, including the bit of Alchemy that he almost never used…Magical in nature and limited to potions mostly, it was more of a cross of Chemistry and magic than it was science with magic added (which was what he was taught by his dad). He was determined to use it sparingly, if so as to keep his own skill from diminishing.

It was about time for that meeting, and the metaphoric spilling of the beans.

He walked into the dining room to a nightmare.

Shirou didn't seem to like the dark version of Illya being there, and the other little girl was there as well…she was somewhat tense as well. Rin and Luvia were on the ground trying to pull each other's hair out, and the only consolation was that no one knew he was here until Kuro looked up. Their eyes met, and a dark hostility mixed with something else showed on her face.

Sebastian clapped his hands once, and touched the wall switch for the light. The lights started flickering and electricity started arcing. Everyone stopped arguing.

"That's much better" Sebastian said, while everyone took their seats "Since I managed to get a small following in such a short time, and since that following has cornered me into revealing my secrets, I must ask you all to be as forthcoming as I am with you. Against my better judgement I will answer all of your questions and then we can move on to bigger and better things"

The table was big enough that everyone sat on one side of it, which forced Sebastian to sit opposite of everyone else.

"This looks too much like court proceedings" he muttered "So what do you want to know?"

"What is this enemy and what is he after?" Luvia asked.

"I have no idea who my enemy is" Sebastian said "But at least I can tell you what he is after"

Everyone waited expectantly, and he sighed.

"Who here knows about a substance called the Philosopher's Stone?" he asked them. No one seemed to know except…Kuro.

"The Philosopher's Stone is supposed to give eternal life" she said "Countless Alchemists have attempted to create or find such a thing; including the Einzberns, but all have been for naught"

"That is true perhaps in this world and my future" Sebastian shook his head "But that is not true where my father comes from"

"Your father?" Rin asked "What do you mean?"

"A question within a question-that isn't important right now, but I will answer it in due time" Sebastian huffed "The Stone itself has been created and fully functional where he is from, and it does what it's supposed to do"

"Okay, and what does that have to do with us, or even with how you got here?" Shirou asked.

"The stones that were created in their world required the sacrifice of an entire nation of people" he said.

The gasps of incredulity were infectious as his audience grasped what he said.

"That's monstrous" Luvia said, sickened.

"And the sacrifice was so horrible that the stones were corrupted, and ended up changing the user" Sebastian said "My dad and those with him supposedly destroyed the Philosopher's Stones and the knowledge of how to create them"

"But it was obvious that something managed to survive" the other girl said, her Mystic Code hovering next to her "And you ended up here as a result"

"Yes, you have a point but some of what I may say next is conjecture" Sebastian said "I have no idea how much time passed since the final battle for the Stone, and what happened to me a few days ago now, but I do know that someone had completed the ritual of creation at least once, possibly four times"

"Is that what they're up too now?" Luvia asked.

"I don't think so, I think the game has changed" Sebastian looked down "I-I was, or am, a scientist by nature. I studied the space time reality in the hopes of achieving true teleportation. I am assuming that the timeline I am from is a timeline where I completed my work-we could be talking years after I was out of High School, possibly sixty years or more from now"

"Actual Teleportation?" Rin looked impressed, as did Luvia and the other girl "That is phenomenal stuff if you succeeded"

"Yes well, apparently I did succeed-the enemy that I had only ever seen once, and that most of you might have heard in that clearing mentioned my success at teleportation and that is why I am here" Sebastian said "I have no idea why he chose this time, which was forty plus years before my life was ruined, but this somehow ties in with what I believe to be his ultimate goal: a perfect Philosopher's Stone and how to recreate it"

"So why did he need to send you back?" Shirou asked.

"I must live until he no longer needs my work-completed or not right now, I eventually do reach my goal, and he needs that to achieve victory" Sebastian said "He also mentioned that he needed three candidates for some kind of ritual-and I am completely in the dark on that one. Anyone know?"

Everyone looked at each other, but no one seemed to know either.

"You said you knew it had been done at least once" Luvia looked at him "It was that Homunculus, wasn't it?"

You could hear a pin drop with the silence that entailed.

"The corrupted stone indeed was in the Homunculus" Sebastian said, his face set in anger "Most of the corrupted stones ended up in Homunculi, as they needed them to function"

"And for the record, how do Homunculi get created?" Rin asked.

"A most despicable practice, though one probably understood by many" Sebastian said "Alchemy as I know it is governed by the Laws of Science, and the Supreme Law of Equivalent Exchange. That is when someone wishes to obtain something-"

He clapped his hands together, and touched the table. He just petrified wood.

"-something of equal or greater value must be given in return. I petrified this table using oxygen as a catalyst and the lack of oxygen-usually coupled with time and pressure-is enough to turn it to stone. What I gave up was the wood as it was and the oxygen that breathed it" he clapped them again and snapped his hand-fire appeared and he juggled it before blowing it out.

"This is the Alchemy I learned from my dad, and the very same used to bring people back from the dead" he said-again there were gasps, as he knew that kind of thing was impossible here. Although zombies and ghouls could be created, that wasn't resurrection, that was reanimation-quite different.

"But nothing is greater than the human soul, and so nothing could be used as a catalyst for transmutation. The resulting force, became what we know as Homunculi, and those, twisted, evil creations strive for nothing but the eradication of humanity" Sebastian said "And if what I killed was part of the 'four horsemen' then there are three more of those Homunculi, and thus more corrupted Philosopher's Stones"

The only one Sebastian saw that was disturbed by him calling Homunculi evil and twisted was Kuro, who stared at him with a look as if to say 'How dare you'.

"I have a question, then" Shirou said "I want to know how you seemed to know me, even before I knew you?"

"I would like that explained as well" Rin said.

"I concur" Luvia said.

Sebastian took a deep breath, and sighed.

"I will answer your question but know that I pains me to say it" he quivered, and pictured his parents in his head. Everyone here, except the girl at the end and Kuro (who claimed she was Illya) was family to him.

"Why would there be pain to it?" Luvia asked.

"Because you all may reject me after this, and the chance I get to see my-" he stopped and gathered his strength "The reason I know you Shirou…it's because you're my Uncle"

"No matter how amazing someone may be, being alone is always difficult" -Irisviel Von Einzbern.

They all looked at him like he was an exhibit, or a fascinating animal. It was rather unnerving. Even Kuro gazed at him with much more interest, given what he just revealed; it was only a matter of time before the whispers stopped.And the questions would continue.

"When you say that Shirou is your uncle…?" the Mystic Code spoke up "You are of course referring to Lady Illya being your mother, right?"

"That would be the truth, and that is not a wonder to itself-but the reason I wished to keep it to myself was because I was afraid what revealing it would do to the timeline" Sebastian looked dazed, as if the revelation was not real "After that Homunculus destroyed any hopes I had of recovering such a timeline; I began to worry that saying something to that affect would alienate any potential allies I might have had" he laughed humorlessly "What conversation would I have with her; she's just a kid, and my father won't appear until later, and now might be never…the way things have already turned out. How do you go to a ten year old and say 'Hi mommy, what am I getting for breakfast this morning-you know I love you'" he had tears forming out of his eyes "w-what kind of life would that be-to see your parent look at you with naught but disgust for even thinking something like that. And telling you all would have been like telling her, similar results different faces"

Rin slid a tissue box to him.

"Thank you" he said, taking it "I resolved myself to do one thing, and that was to find the mad man responsible for this mess, and make him send me back. I had to save them, had to save my parents, and my friends, and my life"

Luvia looked shocked and incredibly sorry.

"I had no idea what giving you their name would do to you-please forgive me" she bowed her head in shame.

"You couldn't have known" Sebastian said "That was one of my goals. I went to Shirou thinking I could get some information; a starting point on finding that mad man. For some reason he had my mom kidnapped; calling her and myself a Homunulus-'an Einzbern Homunculus' as he put it. I didn't know my mom was an Einzbern, but she did say her family was from Germany…technically the same Germany as my dad. His native language was German, even though he lived in another world. I simply put two and two together, and perhaps he is researching such things in Germany"

"Wait, is he saying that Illya is a homun-thing?" Shirou asked agast.

"I believe I can answer that" Kuro said, and everyone turned to her "I have said before, that I am Illyasviel Von Einzbern. This is true, or was so until my mother in her infinite wisdom decided to seal me away, and the information I was born with. She wanted little Illya to live a normal happy life; and I was pushed on the sidelines. I am, and she is, a Homunculus. And so is Illya, and so are you" she pointed at Sebastian "You all want confirmation that he is right, just remember what he inadvertently said that was true: the man in question called us Homunculi, and I was able to confirm it. We aren't created the same way as those things with their corrupted stones; indeed him and I-we were birthed from our mothers, and my mom was created in a test tube…"

Rin and Luvia had wide eyes with that declaration, and Shirou wasn't that far off. The only one who looked like she accepted it was that girl with the Mystic Code.

"I had wondered why fighting you was so painful; why I had wanted to hug you and such…and well mystery revealed" she said absentmindedly.

"I can't accept that" Shirou said, with a finality "Illya and mom aren't monsters; they're people, and to insinuate that some secret lab somewhere made them who they are is nuts. It's crazy"

"But it would fit their descriptions, at least what little we have" Rin said "The Einzberns were a powerful, and old family that were famous Alchemists-at least they were a thousand years ago, before they turned their back on the world of Magi"

"But to say that they were things-" Shirou began.

"He is not saying that" the other girl said "He didn't realize that mad man was telling the truth, just as he didn't realize that there was even a difference in creation for the various Homunculi"

"So he could be looking for a way to make another Homunculus, but as the Einzberns made them" Sebastian said.

"Sebastian" Luvia said "You do realize that if he does…"

"Yeah, if it's easier to make 'Einzbern Homunculi' than it is to make the other kind" Sebastian said.

"And all of this is for the Philosopher's Stone?" Shirou asked "For eternal life"

"I doubt it" Sebastian said, and everyone looked at him again "The Elixir of Life is only half of what it could do-imaging the mass production of perfect Philosopher's Stones…eternal life is much stronger than anything else they could use for resurrection; and what is gold and silver to eternity? The Stone's other purpose was to be able to Transmute gold and silver-and a perfect one won't disappear afterwards when it is used. The stone will last as long as any rock will, and you can just keep making it"

"Eternal Life and unlimited wealth" Rin whistled "no wonder so much has surrounded this stone"

"It is why the Einzberns turned away a thousand years ago" Kuro said.

And suddenly there was an explosion heard from outside the mansion.

"That can't be good" Sebastian said.

"Miyu, we're okay" the Mystic Code said "Ruby just reported that Illya blew up her bathroom from the outside"

"From the outside?" Rin looked flabbergasted "What was she doing?"

"I guess we'll find out" Shirou scratched his head.


	7. Chapter 7

The beginning first changed everything.

The following second acknowledged many.

The resulting third showed the future.

The linking fourth concealed itself.

And the final fifth had already lost its meaning.

Had it only ended at the third, someone had said.

 **Chapter 7**

Sebastian had talked with the group for a few more hours, explaining his split way of performing magic and alchemy; and talking about how he knew Rin and Luvia. His dad was the last subject that night, and everyone agreed that everything that was said was all that was necessary.

It also had created an awkward moment for Kuro (a.k.a Illya) and himself, given their obvious relation and such. In the end, they both agreed that friends were better than enemies, and whatnot. And in the morning, disaster struck. Sebastian wasn't in on the particulars, but it seemed that the little girls had an argument of sorts in the bathroom. He had decided to leave that to itself.

All of that said, he had searched some parts of the city as per recommendation from his…friends. Allies was too impersonal, and he liked everyone there.

The bridge was a no go on suspicious activity, and so were many of the other places. He had even checked the train station.

And all of that led to what is known as Einzbern Forest, as they had purchased the plot of land a long time ago…

His family had land; yeah that was news to him. Apparently they had purchased it and then did absolutely nothing with it…which allowed the forest to grow so dense.

Sebastian wasn't even sure if they knew about the land anymore, much less cared…but it might be a hiding place for his enemy. Either way, the forest wasn't bought for nothing, so something of the Einzbern's must be here, and that would come a long way to explaining, if the enemy was here, the lack of incidents to the city…and raise questions as to what the Four Horsemen's purpose was in Fuyuki a few days ago.

When he had entered, Sebastian noticed a bounded field spell in place that still existed, and immediately reacted to his presence. That turned out to be a good thing, when it noticed his relation to the family; it started feeding off him to increase its potency, and that resulted in him being forced into his ability to use mana. That was mysterious, given it was the second time in almost as many days that he had been forced to 'switch'. He shrugged off such feelings and pressed on.

The bounded field had alerted him to potential hostiles near the center of the forest, and so that was where he went. It actually made him excited to finally strike a blow to the ones responsible for his predicament.

When he neared the center, a clearing of sorts came into view, and a majestic castle came in full view. Sebastian stared at it; it was one thing to own a piece of land, and quite another to have a castle built on it…what the hell was the purpose of this place?

He was curious, and wanted to explore the place-wanted to see its secrets. But he was too late it seemed. Men in State Uniforms (the State Uniform was one of the few things his dad had with him when he had showed up in this world) were patrolling the grounds, and there were guards at the entrance.

"Well, this bounded field certainly did its job" Sebastian remarked.

It was now a question of whether to raid this place by himself, or go and get the others. He sat there for a little bit, contemplating his choice.

"This is my discovery, and at the very least I can always run if it gets too difficult to proceed" Sebastian reasoned "After all, I originally was going to do this stuff myself anyway"

Sebastian walked into the clearing, and actually got close to the castle before the guards saw him.

"IT'STHE EINZBERN HOMUNCULUS!" one shouted, alerting the others. They had guns.

"Hello gentlemen" he summoned two magic circles "It's nice to be of acquaintance"

They fired their guns, which he deflected by use of a barrier spell. He used scatter shot from his magic circles, which killed off the soldiers in front of him.

"Trace" he shouted, and two swords appeared. He slew the oncoming forces, until they started using Alchemy against him.

"How many guys are out here?" he asked "I haven't even gotten to the door yet"

"We cannot allow him to pass" another used a bazooka on him, which he barely dodged. And yet another threw electric balls at him, which he had to deflect using a barrier spell.

"Okay, this is getting annoying" he said, and summoned three magic circles, which fired mana blasts at the enemy. He traced an RPG and fed it with pure prana, which he used on an incoming contingent.

"Alert the base commander! The intruder refuses to leave" a soldier said to another.

One of the things bothering Sebastian was that these soldiers didn't bleed…like there was nothing too them but empty shells being commanded. Like they were made for this purpose…

He used his RPG on another small group (they didn't even bother to dodge), and the front doors opened, revealing even more soldiers. They were commanded by an Alchemist, or at least he had an Alchemist's watch.

"Destroy the Einzbern Homunculus" he commanded.

"I don't think so" Sebastian formed a ball of concentrated prana in his hand "FIRE" he shouted, and the beam eradicated the welcoming party.

"Airstrike, danger close!" a soldier came out of the entrance, and threw a device at his feet.

"What the…?" Sebastian had very little time to reflect on what the empty shell just yelled before a jet appeared.

"This is not happening!" Sebastian yelled, and dashed into the woods.

Scores of bullets were shot before the airstrike bombed the forest. Soldiers charged into the forest, carrying guns and the like.

"Okay, granted they had automatic weapons, but Harrier jets!" Sebastian was very angry "This is ridiculous-and it makes me want to get in that castle even more"

He decided that going all out was the only option.

Sebastian summoned twenty magic circles; fifteen more than his previous attempts, and walked calmly towards the advancing army.

They all reached him, and stopped-surprised at his audacity.

"Good bye…fools" he unleashed hell.

"To be able to take a human to its building blocks, and create something beautiful…now that's true talent"-Unknown, State Alchemy

The entrance was littered with the bodies of shells, soldiers who couldn't bleed, or even have a mind of their own.

Sebastian had taken a shotgun, and gunned down any soldier that tried to stop him. He had taken the time to look in each room on the bottom floor, but each container (chests, dressers, desks, etc.) had been empty.

The basement had also proven fruitless, save for a few wines that dated back a couple hundred years. The second floor had proven likewise, although the place was ornately decorated.

"This place looked cleared out a long time before these guys inhabited it" Sebastian sighed…and was drawn to a door he had previously missed.

He opened it up, and a barrier had activated. It seemed only an Einzbern could have opened the door, but why only seal this room off?

The room in question contained a picture above the fireplace; the woman had white hair and red eyes like Sebastian's and his mother's and…looked very beautiful.

But something was amiss…like the very act of looking at the picture gave him a name he had never heard or seen written, but he was compelled to utter it in its entirety.

"Lord Justeaze-Justeaze Lizrich von Einzbern" he said softly, and found tears running down his face. He wiped them, and sniffed; turned away to the rest of the room.

What was that? How did he know such a name-or felt what he felt when he saw the picture?

Sebastian closed the door, and the seal covered it…and he knew that only members of his kind were allowed in this room-only Einzberns and their family.

He went to the desk and opened it…bingo. Pictures of places in Fuyuki that no longer exist, books of Alchemy and Alchemical notes-Sebastian realized that this must have been a room for reflection. He picked up a smaller book and peered through its pages.

It was in German, like much of the Einzberns material, and detailed the happenings of wars, talked about something called the Third Magic, and about a Mystic Code called Dress of Heaven.

Obviously something had gone on here…something that looked like a dark secret of the City's past.

"What is Heaven's Feel?" Sebastian scanned the pages to find out…often re-reading passages but to no avail.

He even picked up the books on Alchemy, only to discover that they were handwritten proofs and textbook instruction on Einzbern Alchemy…including the creation of Homunculi. Sebastian threw it back and slammed the desk shut.

"They were playing god-what fools" he spat.

The desk itself had papers and things on the surface, including a picture from a more modern camera.

The picture depicted a girl, a baby really, held by a woman who looked just slightly different from Lord Justeaze…and she was held by a man of Japanese descent. Well he looked Japanese anyway. There was only one word on the back: Kiritsugu.

"Okay, then…who the hell are you?" he asked the picture.

Sebastian threw it on the desk and picked up a letter with a stain on it…looked like blood.

 _Sie sind tot ... sie sind alle tot. Er hat sie getötet ; er tötete sie alle nur für bleibe ich ._

 _Er sucht jetzt mein Leben , Verräter beide von ihnen, der Magier Killer kommt , er kommt ._

 _Ich habe jemand zu erklären ; haben wissen lassen, sie ... er sie alle töten werde . Der Kelch , der Kelch - unsere Magie , wir wollen so verzweifelt zurück . Und er tötete uns alles sagen sie, ich muss ihnen sagen, ... der Krieg , die Kandidaten -I mu_

Sebastian was very curious as to what happened and what it talked about.

"They are dead…they are all dead. He killed them; he killed them all-only I remain. He seeks my life now, traitors both of them, the Mage Killer's coming-he's coming. I have to tell someone; have to let them know…he'll kill them all. The Chalice, the Chalice-our magic, we so desperately want back. And he killed us all-tell them, I must tell them…the war, the contestants-I must" he huffed "yeah real helpful"

Sebastian realized this room was probably the only intact room left, for the enemy surely scoured the rest of the place for whatever it was they were looking for.

He left to check the rest of the place.

The Third floor was just as empty as the first two (minus that last room), but the fourth floor looked different from the rest of the place…this must be their headquarters. A full contingent of guards stood at the ready…which was odd considering the last two didn't have any.

"Halt, you are trespassing on claimed territory" the leader said "You will surrender peacefully or get packed with bullets"

"You do realize this is Einzbern castle, right?" he asked them.

"You leave me no choice! Fire men!" he ordered.

Sebastian put up a barrier just as they fired their guns. He summoned a magic circle.

"Sir, it's not working! We may need to tell the Furher-"

"Silence" the thing shouted "Give nothing away"

"Well that's inconvenient" Sebastian said "Just why not?"

They didn't answer, so he blew them away with his mana blast.

"I hope that's the last of them" he said.

Sebastian walked down the hall, shooting any guard that got in his way, and proceeded to the end of the floor. There was an office of sorts.

He went over to the desk, and looked through the papers. Most of it was menial stuff, but Sebastian finally found what he was looking for.

Now it was time to show it to his friends back at the mansion.

"It is this one proof that separates us from them, and that is the ability to destroy our enemies"-Propaganda, State Military.

There was an explosion of magic; Sebastian had felt it, and it had come from the direction of the mansion, which he was sure of. He was running at full speed, using mana and reinforcement, just in case they were being attacked. He reached the Mansion in minutes, but it seemed there was someone there already. He was perched just above the gate, as if hovering in the air was normal for him.

"Oh it seems I must address you, I suppose" the man turned and looked at him…he was the man on the left, in his burning kitchen.

"You!" Sebastian said, angry "Haven't you done enough!"

"You only appreciate true power after you have seen it with your very eyes" he said, straightening his State Uniform "I find your mother to pale in comparison to the woman in that mansion, although I suppose it doesn't matter, it's how you use the power given to you"

Sebastian readied himself to fight.

"That must hurt you, being stuck here, unable to save your future" the man said "But what hurts me more is what you did to my men"

"Your men" Sebastian screamed "were where they didn't belong! Just as you are now!"

"But what is the fun of it, if there remains no conflict" he said, and put one arm up as an almost invisible mass zoomed into him "I am War, number two of the Four Horsemen, and supreme commander of the army"


	8. Chapter 8

This is War…

He walks with claymore in hand.

Men in rank, march ever forward.

Women suffer in more ways than one.

Forget the child, working the machines.

He cleaves in half, and in all haste…

Fights the last, and the best.

Bombs overhead, moving over lands.

Under the water he hides, man's greatest weapon…

Remember the screaming cities and the evil clouds the sky.

This is War…

'We are the Four Horsemen'

 **Chapter 8**

He began his assault by an explosion of water (up out of the ground), which swirled around him once, and whirled towards Sebastian. He blocked the attack by converting much of the water into a staff of sorts.

"So you know how to use the surrounds to your advantage" War commented.

Sebastian hacked up the water.

"That was freaking hot!" he gasped, and narrowly avoided War's fist.

"You are all alone out here, Alchemist" War said "No one will hear your screams"

Sebastian summersaulted over War, intending to strike with his ice staff. War decidedly knew the move, and pushed him into the gate of the mansion, knocking it open.

"It appears you've earned their trust" War said, and waved his hands "It will be your undoing"

The gates broke free of their hinges, and broke into individual rods. War transmuted them into bullets, and shot them one at a time at Sebastian.

He got up, and managed to throw a barrier just in time…but the effects of such attacks drove him back.

"There you go, Elric-one step at a time" War said, and as he shot the makeshift bullets, a clear liquid poured out of him, and formed soldiers in State Uniforms.

"Storm the keep and bring me the occupants, I want them alive" he said, and created more bullets from the fence as he shot the bullets.

This was Alchemy that Sebastian had never seen before, even from a Homunculus. War seemed to enjoy the fight, and being so laid back by the whole thing.

"You cannot pass" Sebastian shouted; Magic Circles formed behind him "Prana Cannon!"

The Circles shot consecutively, seeking out the soldiers as War was creating them. The ultimate problem was, he could make unlimited soldiers, being that the clear liquid always returned to him…as if it was a part of him.

"Trace" Sebastian threw away the staff for the swords he liked using. He charged War; his Prana Cannons taking care of the soldiers. But it was proving ultimately futile; a stalemate that would eventually end in his defeat, War was that powerful.

As it was, the whole community could probably hear the noise.

War parried all of his thrusts, swipes, strikes and his attempts to take his head off.

"Is this really the best you can do?" War asked negatively "It's such a shame that the Master needs you alive"

"So what do you want in the house behind me?" Sebastian countered, "you already ransacked the castle"

"The place was empty before I occupied it" War grinned "I'm actually only trying to get you riled, I don't need anything in there"

"Riled like what Famine did?" Sebastian ducked as War made a move against his head.

"You seem to have an attachment to friends and family, not unlike Ed and Al" he spoke as if reminiscing "Of course you weren't stupid enough to try to bring anyone back from the dead"

"You're dodging the question! What is your purpose behind this…attack?" Sebastian hit him with the bunt of his left sword.

"Only the loser spills the beans" War jumped back, and broke water out of the ground again, using it to whack Sebastian into the front door, half way across the yard.

"You have an opening, my soldiers" War had a small contingent ready "Let's give Sebastian a reason to be riled"

At that comment, Sebastian screamed; echoes of his voice were amplified through the massive building, and another Magic Circle appeared.

"Scatter shot!" he waved his hand, and a stream of Mana bullets tore into the soldiers, and hit a surprised War.

"Trace" Sebastian yelled, and he projected a Gatling gun. A quick bit of magic and a little Einzbern Alchemy, and he replaced his left hand with the gun.

War took one look at that and, with a smile, turned and ran.

Sebastian ended the Magic Circles when the soldiers disappeared.

He followed the path that War took, pausing only when he moved past the remains of the front gate. He heard steps.

Sebastian looked at the people exiting the house. Rin and Luvia were standing in the doorway, and Kuro, Miyu, and little Illya were half way down the path with another woman that Sebastian had never seen before. All of them stared at him, shock, pity, and other emotions were rampant.

War was getting away.

Sebastian gave Rin and Luvia a look, and they nodded. Then he ran after War. He yanked out a few small hairs from his white haired head.

"Find me War" he whispered, and as the birds appeared he jumped on the roof of the Einzbern house, searching for War.

"There you are, bastard" he ran from roof to roof, following the birds.

Sebastian tailed him all the way to a group of warehouses at the other end of the city.

"You don't quit do you" he said, finally done running "I managed to get my message back to my master…and now there's only one more thing I have to do"

"You were winning the battle, and you just take off like that?" Sebastian pointed his Gatling gun-arm at War.

He shrugged.

"I was there for only two reasons, and I fulfilled them both" he laughed "It was so easy to push your buttons"

Sebastian took out the paper he got from the Castle, while his gun still pointed at War.

"I've read this, at least three times…and I can't figure at what you mean by vessels" he looked angry "What do you intend here, why go back to this time?"

"I'm afraid I can't tell you that, but do not worry, all will be revealed in due time" War transmuted a trash lid into a shield "You may actually live to see a miracle being formed"

"The creation of a Philosopher's Stone…" Sebastian said "I'll stop you before you do that"

"Maybe…if I wanted to kill you, you would already be dead" War mused "And yet things must be this way, I must not see my goals come to fruition"

"These vessels you speak of…are they ships of some kind, or maybe airplanes" Sebastian tried again "Are you going to attack the City?"

"As I have said-"

"I don't care what you said!" he fumed "I want answers…something, please!?"

"And you are willing to trust me at my word-not even Ed was that foolish" War looked at the sky "I will give you this, those 'vessels' are not ships-water or otherwise. Is that enough for you?"

"No…but then the document makes much more sense" Sebastian readied his gun for fire.

"If it makes you feel any better, my men were supposed to destroy that document" War raised his converted shield, knowing it won't be enough.

"You are capable for much more than that scrap in your hand" Sebastian said after a minute "Aren't you going to defend yourself?"

"Are you actually worried for my wellbeing?" War looked back at Sebastian "That's an odd feeling coming from an enemy"

"Worried?" Sebastian laughed sarcastically "No I'm not…but Famine seemed to give up rather easily as well"

"You catch on pretty quickly" War said "But I don't think that will stop you from killing me"

"It just raises more questions-everything about being here has raised many questions, too many if I'm being honest" Sebastian huffed "I never realized how much I relied on my mom and dad before this"

"That is just a parent-child relationship, it happens to everyone" War said "But I see where this is going, you want to know what happened to them…don't you?"

Sebastian groaned. It was what he wanted very much, but he very much doubted that War would just give it up.

"Yes…I can hear your distress" War said "I suppose telling you won't hurt anything. They work for us now; it actually was rather easy to get Edward himself to surrender after we told him his wife was all he had left"

"NOOO!" Sebastian fired his gun without mercy. War didn't even try.

Sebastian fell to his knees-they were alive, unless War was lying…but were they here? The pain they must have caused them hurt Sebastian more than his own predicament.

He pierced the Homunculus' chest, that he knew. Sebastian went over to War, and he cackled…some kind of blood leaking out of his mouth.

"This…isn't…over" he gasped for breath "In…the…end…my…master…w-will…win"

Sebastian put his palm on War's temple. He started chanting, hoping to extract lingering information from the brain.

"You…can't…" War grabbed his head and tried to push him off-

Suddenly Sebastian was in another place.

"Hey, Ed-look at Seb! It's his first steps, and he's only six months old. He's probably tired of not keeping up with us"-Illyasviel Von Einzbern, when talking to her husband about their son.

Captain Franzl Vilhelm walked into the meeting room, along with about ten others. He had no idea what this was about, but things were getting bad in Amestris, and he volunteered when his superior asked for one for a mission of sorts.

It was all rather exciting.

"I think I will start this meeting with introductions" an office stood "well, with your permission, Sir"

"I will give it" King Bradley himself waved his hand.

"Yes Sir" he saluted "I am Major Solf J. Kimblee, or Crimson Lotus Alchemist as I like to be called. I have, with the King's permission, started an elite strike team I have called the Four horsemen" he smiled cynically "Of course I myself have been promoted as its leader, but I need four capable individuals from among you all to act as members of my new team"

An officer raised his hand.

"Yes" Major Kimblee said.

"I am Major Shou Tucker" he said "And I have a few questions"

"Ah yes, the Sewing-Life Alchemist was it?" he asked.

"That would be correct" Major Tucker said.

"I heard what you did with your own daughter, and your pet dog. You do not care if you get your hands dirty, then?" Major Kimblee asked.

Vilhelm was in shock…he of course heard of the Sewing-Life Alchemist. Like many members of his Squadron, he wanted to kill the bastard plain out. He thought of his own little girl at home, being taken care of by his son-Richard. He clenched his fists.

"You would be correct in that assessment" they shook hands.

"So what's your question, then" Major Kimblee asked.

"Well, what I want to know is the purpose for such a strike force. I myself was told to be here, I'm not what you call a-a…" he looked at the king.

"I get what you're saying of course" Major Kimblee said "This is the point"

He took a rock out of his pocket.

"This, my friends, is what you call a Philosopher's Stone" he set it on the table gently "Our job would to provide the Military with a better method of producing them. They are not what you call the real deal, but are temporary things that disappear after a few uses"

"I heard Colonel Mustang's team is trying to find answers with regards to these things" Major Tucker scratched his head "The Elric brothers have been a real pain as of late"

"Yes, well those punks won't be able to touch us, and that's why I'm creating this team" Kimblee put the stone back in his pocket.

"A stone might be able to help me…"Major Tucker said to himself "Well, I'm in-it's that or make more Chimeras"

"I am interested as well, eternal life is a dream I always had-ah excuse me Sir, my name is Yoki" Yoki said "I'm a governor for a small town, nothing too fancy-of course" he giggled greedily "And those kids need a little lesson in authority"

This was becoming more and more regrettable from the start, Vilhelm sighed in indifference. He knew this team wouldn't be for him if it had pricks like Yoki.

"That's two volunteers already, I need two more" an aide ran up to Kimblee and whispered quickly "Well, now it seems that I only need one" the Major chuckled "I have a volunteer that I think's perfect for such a thing"

"Perhaps Captain Vilhelm would make a good choice" the King looked at Major Kimblee "I have a recommendation here that I just opened from a General Shultz of the outward regions"

"Ah-yes Sir (ahem). Is a Capain Vilhelm available?" he called to the audience.

Now the good Captain was in trouble, someone he had never heard of before recommended Vilhelm personally to the King…this wasn't good. He stood up.

"Captain Franzl Vilhelm reports as ordered" he said, at attention.

"Well, now-His Highness recommended you personally" Major Kimblee was impressed "Then it's settled Captain, from now on-I have authority to do so-you will be promoted to the Rank of Major" he said "Welcome to the team"

"It is only appropriate that I should get the upper hand in the end"- Major Solf J. Kimblee, Crimson Lotus Alchemist.

Major Franzl Vilhelm had said what was his last goodbyes to his children a few hours ago, and was now in a room with the other two and his 'leader'. Apparently the fourth man hadn't shown up yet. In fact, he had yet to meet the guy.

And another person entered the room, a woman of sorts.

"Sloth" Kimblee said amiably.

"You do not greet me as such in front of others" she said coldly.

"These are my candidates" he gestured to the room.

"Really" she said wryly "The idiot who made Chimeras is a candidate" she sighed "You're lucky Dante approves of this. If it were up to me, I'd just kill you"

The room was silent…what candidates?

"I suppose I'd be the one doing the transmutation?" she said "I don't think you're powerful enough"

"What is she saying?" Yoki stood up.

"Look, fool, we can do this the easy way or the hard way?" Sloth's hand turned to water.

He backed down.

"t-the easy way…just please don't kill me!" he begged.

And it dawned on the Major… 'we are going to die'

"Let's get this over with" Major Tucker said.

"Wait, you told him?" Sloth asked.

"He seemed to know what was going on" Major Kimblee shrugged.

"If Dante ever finds out…" she muttered, and took out a flask. She put water in it…from herself.

"I just drink this?" Tucker asked.

"Yep, it's that easy" she said, and produced two more, doing the same thing with them.

"I-I don't want to die!" Yoki tried to run to the door.

Water shot out of her hand and tackled him to the ground. It made its way to his mouth and entered. About a minute later, he was thrashing on the floor, gasping for air-and several minutes after that, he died.

"Fools" she said "You do not comprehend what you've gotten yourselves into"

Major Tucker drank his flask and handed it back to her. She was surprised, especially when he sat down and waited for the inevitable to happen. To her credit, he didn't suffer.

"That was more than I expected of him" she said to Kimblee.

"I picked the best" he said, and looked at Vilhelm.

"I want your full assurances that my children will be taken care of" he said "I will go peacefully if I know"

Sloth smiled.

"Don't worry your pretty little head of it" she said "My 'children' made me into what I am today, I rather hope that will be your fate as well"

"You have my word" Kimblee said.

Vilhelm downed his flask and waited…he didn't have to wait long. His last thoughts were of his son and daughter.

"The people don't know what they elected into their midsts"-Pride, on the subject of Amestris.

War awoke in a room sealed from the outside. It was to be his last awakening. There were two people in the room with him…a boy of roughly eighteen years and a girl much younger.

"You seem scared" he told them. He got up, and to his surprise he wore a Uniform with the Rank of General on it.

"We were brought here against our will" the boy said, scooping the girl in his arms "We would like to know why"

"And you were told that I would explain everything to you, then" War said, sitting on the cot.

"Where is my daddy?" the girl looked at him "He will take us out of here! And you'll be sorry" she buried her face in the boys shirt.

"Goodness, I have no idea what you're talking about" War said "I just woke up here"

"Ah, good. You're awake then" a man walked up to the window "I am your master, War"

"Then a good morning to you, Master" War said

"Yes well, I need you to take care of these kids before I let you out. You see, I was acquainted with a now deceased Major Vilhelm who asked me to 'take care' of them. I told them I would…and you belong to me now" Master said, grinning.

"It will be done, Master" War said, getting up.

"And when you are finished with them, there is an assembly of Military personnel awaiting their new General to brief him on the goings on. Congratulations on your new promotion" Master put his white hat on his head, which complemented his white tuxedo.

"Indeed" War said. He fashioned a gun from himself, and cocked it. The boy got up, shielding the girl.

"Please don't do this" he cried.

"But it has to be done" War shot him in the head. The girl screamed.

"DADDY! HELP ME" she wailed. That startled him…and his memory flooded him like never before. It dawned on him rather painfully that he used to be the girl's father.

She clutched the boy's soaking clothes, yelling for her now dead father…yelling for him. Internally he hated himself for this…but he had his orders, and they must be followed to the letter.

He pointed the gun and pulled the trigger.

"Man does atrocious things while he yet lives. But Homunculi…are evil, pure and simple"-Edward Elric, Fullmetal Alchemist.

War stood by and watched as the Transmutation Circle was completely formed.

"Damn the Elric's, they ruined everything" Master swore.

Indeed the Brothers defeated the other Homunculi and Dante herself. That left the Four Horsemen in a bit of a bind.

"Would it not be easier to simply force the remaining brother back here, and force him and that girlfriend of his…Winry I think her name is-force them to open the gate?" Famine asked.

"If we could defeat Alphonse, yes it would be easier" Master said, grittedly "I plan on coming back here after obtaining a true Stone-and killing Edward myself"

"Then you do intend to go after the boy?" Conquest asked.

"Go after him?" Master snarled "I intend to destroy him! He ruined everything-and all our supporters, well the ones who still live, want us dead"

"I can hunt the boy" Death breathed "And add him to my collection"

"No, I, the Crimson Lotus Alchemist will do the deed!" Master finished the Circle "War, create a soldier to sacrifice, and let us be on our way"

"Alchemy is superior to magic and science. It has the ability to neutralize both, and with the ultimate prize, is capable of reaching ascension to another plane" –Unknown, On Alchemy.

Here was the place.

"Finally, after all this time" Master said "All our work, all our research-led us to this moment"

"Yes, but will a cup be able to truly create a miracle?" Conquest asked.

"According to Einzbern notes" Master intoned "We'd need to recreate the ritual, seems how the one known as Mage Killer was responsible for ending the Wars. But yes, the cup can do anything we desire"

"And coming here?" Famine asked.

"I was already through this" Master huffed "An Einzbern female Homunculus is required for the ritual, and lucky for us, one remains in existence"

"That is if she's still alive, which I'm not sensing" Death breathed.

"But the Fullmetal Alchemist is here" Master said "At long last"

"His spawn has the work required for dimensional travel" War said, his first utterance in several days "We may need to keep the boy alive"

"I agree with War's assessment" Conquest said "The boy is to be unharmed, and if our sister still lives-she must be taken"

"I will deal with Edward myself" Master said "The look on his face when he finds out I still live…"

They broke down the door.

The house itself was easy to capture, but that was it.

"Edward Elric, remember me?" Master walked up to the elderly Alchemist.

"Dad" his spawn readied himself for battle "I am here"

"Seb, take your mother and get out of here" Edward said, getting to his feet "An old enemy knocks on my door"

The forty-year old spawn runs up the stairs.

War sent soldiers up after the boy, and came down about a minute later.

"He doesn't live here" a soldier said "He teleported to another location"

"And the woman?" Master interrupted "Where is the Homunculus?"

"That was a ploy to get you to follow Sebastian" the Fullmetal Alchemist rasped "My Illya has been dead a long while"

"And that bought you time how?" Master asked.

"You were always causing trouble Solf" Edward said solemnly "I wished it didn't have to come to this"

Master snapped his hand and Edward was lit on fire.

"The fool" he spat "I thought he would have put up more of a fight"

"Find the boy!" he commanded "Bring him to me!"

"And he did sit down, eye covered, head down. As the people praised his name, he only praised his gain…a false king, upon a stolen throne"-Unknown, Fall of Amestris.

Sebastian opened his eyes. That was weird by all accounts, but it was a major eye opener. It was an enemy that his dad had already faced from his world.

"I must tell the others about Solf Kimblee" he got up.

The body must be disposed of, but how to do that without creating suspicion.

He looked at the broken Homunculus.

"Looks like I'll have to carry him"


	9. Chapter 9

And so it was without doubt,

A girl clad in silver and gold, and with wealth untold,

Locked in the castle though she may be,

Was more free than the mighty bird,

For she held her own little world.

Small and weak he was, frail even,

The babe that was hers and hers he remained,

She clad in silver and gold, and with wealth untold,

Thought him more precious than possession and gain,

Clutched his silvery golden mane.

The man with one arm, her shining shield,

Fell from the gate far away,

His child she held in tender hand,

The girl dressed in silver and decked in gold,

Happily lived her life untold.

 **Chapter 9**

Sebastian was in the dining room, alone with his thoughts. He held in his hand the Stone he pulled out of War's heart. He put the document on the table and sighed. There needed to be a discussion; he needed to appraise Rin and Luvia at the very least, as he had them place trust in him. He sighed again and heard what he thought was a giggle. He turned, and searched the room…and nothing. The visions that he had received from War must be getting to him.

A few minutes later, he heard it again. And again he searched for naught. Sebastian scratched his blonde haired head and sat once more.

They had better be back soon; he was starting to get antsy.

And once again he heard that giggle. He jumped up so bad it was almost painful.

"Hey! Ruby, I'll get you for this!" a voice said "Come back here!" a girl was flying around the ceiling and was indeed chasing a Mystic Code…which looked a lot like Miyu's…

It was little Illya.

Of a truth Sebastian saw his mother only three times since coming back, and only spoke to her once. He had been avoiding her on purpose; but given the state of things, it was illogical to think they wouldn't ever meet again.

It wasn't like he wasn't curious; seeing his parent act and look like a kid had a certain charm to it (even if he did fight Kuro two of the four times he had seen her). It was more along the lines of his trepidation, embarrassment, and a little bit of weird.

He had never seen pictures of his mom or dad from when they were kids (his dad for obvious reasons), but he had seen his own, and just made extrapolations as to what they looked like.

His mom and dad were short, and he was too, but he never pictured her to be so small…his pride shrunk a little inside.

It didn't help that his logic part dictated that this was a major screw up with the timeline…which he was still a little irked over. He had originally avoided them for that very reason.

He clapped.

Little Illya and the annoying Mystic Code stopped in mid-air. Her face immediately turned beet red, and she tried to escape, only to be stopped by Rin as the group was walking in.

"Nice of you to show up" Sebastian smiled at the scene despite himself.

"We-that is Luvia and I were actually looking for you after we secured the others in their home" Rin looked annoyed. "L-let me out!" Illya demanded, until she saw that other woman from earlier.

"Wow" she said "Isn't that cute on you"

Illya looked like she wanted to melt away right there, especially with Kuro laughing at the whole situation.

"You said you secured them, but I see a little differently" Sebastian sighed "I trust there is a reason for this?"

"Mwuha ha ha ha ha" Luvia laughed "Of course there is-I wanted to see the introductions for myself"

"Introductions?" Sebastian asked, aghast.

"Yes, introductions" Luvia continued "It was discussed earlier between all of us, and we thought it should be better late than never"

"And you can't use that timeline excuse" Rin added "That was already taken care of"

Sebastian groaned.

"Forty years down the drain for self-satisfying curiosity" he mumbled.

"If it makes you feel any better, I suggested it" Kuro looked smug.

"I was against it, but Illya wouldn't stop talking about you" Miyu said, and shrugged.

"She wouldn't?" Sebastian was surprised "Why exactly didn't she? It was…how many days has it been?" he sighed "It couldn't have been all that long ago I suppose"

"And I wanted to meet you as well" Annoying code probably wouldn't shut up about it.

"Well then, it seems we're just missing Shirou" Sebastian looked around the room, and paused…this would be interesting indeed.

"He had elected to stay and take care of Sella" Rin said, and looked at the group discussion between the woman, Illya, Kuro, and Luvia "She had fainted after hearing you were Illya's kid"

"I think I would too" Sebastian sighed again "I go and kill a horseman and the whole place falls in my absence"

"So I take it you weren't just here for kicks?" Rin asked.

"I found out a lot of information, accidentally but still" Sebastian showed the folded piece of paper and the stone "And much of it is not good news"

Rin looked forlornly at the animated group.

"They really just wanted to get to know you, too" she said.

"Well we can still do that" Sebastian told her "It's not like I have any choice in the matter"

Rin nodded.

"Then let's get started" she said, and gestured to the table.

Sebastian struck an idea then, one he began to like more and more.

He clapped his hands, and raised them toward the ceiling. A big bang resounded and the room went quiet.

"That actually worked" he said, and took his seat. The rest followed, still surprised by the sound.

After a moment, Luvia began the meeting.

"So we're all here to get acquainted with our good friend Sebastian" she smiled "And I'm sure he has a lot to say"

"Actually I do" he said, and set the stone on the table in front of him (he wasn't sitting alone this time) "This is a Philosopher's Stone. It's a corrupt, temporary one, but one nonetheless. Some of you remember from when we last were talking about it, and I just wanted to show everyone what it looked like"

Kuro picked it up.

"This thing should be destroyed" she said "I can feel the makeup of this thing"

"That is the souls trapped within" Sebastian said sadly "The ritual of such a thing is just as evil; for it gives no warning of impending demise"

"So they don't know they're trapped?" the woman asked, her bell-like voice turned melancholy.

"That is likely" Sebastian said "And it really only works with Homunculi, who have no soul, though I wouldn't recommend you use it"

"They do too have souls" she retorted "I know they do"

"I'm not referring to us" Sebastian said "I'm referring to Homunculi created by human transmutation"

"Is such a thing even possible?" Luvia asked "Human transmutation?"

"Obviously it is, considering these things exist" Rin looked at Luvia, who glared right back.

"U-um so you fought these Homunculi?" Illya asked, shyly.

"More than once" Sebastian responded, looking at her "They are extremely dangerous beings, gifted with immense Alchemical talent"

"But you have destroyed two" Kuro said "So we know they can be killed"

"Agreed" Luvia said "You destroyed that last one on your own"

"But that's a problem" Sebastian said "They do enough to get me angry and then let me kill them, like there's a point to it"

"That is strange indeed" annoying code said.

"Then we should focus our efforts at capture rather than kill" Rin said.

"We can't capture them, they're too powerful for that" Sebastian countered "What we need to figure out at this point is why"

Everyone was silent, contemplating his words.

"There's more" Sebastian opened the document "I'm not going to bother reading it to you, much of its mundane and no longer applies since I cleared out Einzbern castle"

That got the woman startled.

"You cleared out the castle?" she asked, concerned.

"There wasn't much in the castle" Sebastian confirmed "But the paper talked about three vessels"

"Vessels?" Rin grabbed the document.

"Yes, at first I thought they were transport vehicles of some kind" Sebastian sat back "But that most likely isn't the case"

"They are very ambiguous about it" Rin said, and passed it to Luvia "Could they be the 'three candidates' you mentioned"

Sebastian thought about it.

"It's possible, but from what I've been able to witness, it's not very likely" Sebastian said "The ritual I believe requires a cup of sorts"

"Cup you say?" the woman asked.

"Yes, and in the words they used: An Einzbern female Homunculus is required for the ritual" Sebastian said, to everyone's utter shock.

"W-when you say t-that" Rin looked at him "Do you mean…?"

"I do" Sebastian clenched his fists "But they already have her"

"Your mother" Luvia nodded "That's why they took her"

"Why does it have to be a girl?" Rin asked.

"If I knew that…" Sebastian shook his head "The Einzberns as a whole are no more. But they were Alchemists by nature-I believe they were behind this ritual to begin with" he allowed anger to shine through "They were fools, believing they could use a miracle for things they couldn't obtain otherwise. It's a mockery of equivalent exchange"

The woman next to Illya was visibly shaking, like she knew more of what they were talking about, but maybe it was just that she was scared…Sebastian decided he wouldn't ask.

"I have some good news, however" Sebastian said "I know the identity of the enemy"

The melancholy disappeared almost instantly.

"Who is it?" Kuro asked.

"Major Solf J. Kimblee of the Amestrian State Military" Sebastian spat those words with impunity "Or better known to me and my father; the Crimson Lotus Alchemist. He is an extremely dangerous and powerful Alchemist, responsible for more than just methodical genocide, rape, murder, theft of State property…" Sebastian felt the tears coming, he was so frustrated "Dad probably was caught off guard; he believed that _bastard_ was already dead"

"If he's from your dad's world, then how did he get here?" the woman asked.

"It's my dad's fault" Sebastian put his head down "and my own…I was so stupid to think I could get away with hiding my project from the world"

"We know how he got here" Luvia said "How did he get to our world?"

"An Alchemical marvel called the Gate" Sebastian laughed humorlessly "I have actually been there before-only a Homunculus can enter it without payment…and I never wondered"

"A gate" Kuro asked "What Gate?"

"It would take me days to fully explain" Sebastian looked at her "Long story short, it's a method used to get here"

"The world is just another word for the things you value around you, right? That's something I've had since I was born. If you tell me to rule such a world, I already rule it."-Rin Tohsaka, on the topic of the World.

"Well, you two have already met, but here it goes" Rin pointed at little Illya "That is Illyasviel von Einzbern…your future mother"

She looked shyly at Sebastian, a timid smile on her face.

"Illya…this is Sebastian Elric-from the future" Rin scratched her head.

"Hello, then" Sebastian offered his hand, embarrassingly "nice to meet you"

They shook hands.

"It's surreal" she said "You look strange and yet…familiar"

"See Illya, that wasn't so hard" the woman hugged her from behind.

"It's kind of embarrassing momma" she said, her face going red.

"That is a cute face" Miyu rummaged for a camera "I'm going to take your picture, Illya"

"'kay" Illya smiled.

"That's not quite the reaction I was hoping for" Luvia said "Where's the love-the hugs and all that, I had pictured the meeting to be cute"

"This isn't one of your sick fantasies, Luvia" Rin was ready to tackle her.

"Well I still might want a hug" the woman clasped her hands together "I'm going to be a Grandmother someday"

"I think most people see that as an eventuality" Rin said dryly.

"G-g-grandmother?!" Sebastian backed up slowly.

"Yes…call me grandma Iri" she smiled mischievously, creeping towards him.

"While I think this meeting of yours is quite…touching" a voice said "I find your enthusiasm to be a little off Irisviel"

Everyone froze, as if fear held them in place.

"DEATH!" Sebastian shouted "Where are you, monster?"

"Death is such a rotten word" everyone but Sebastian was thrown to either side by an invisible force "And, I don't think Ed's son wants to rot so fast, hea ha ha ha ha ha"

The man to the complete right of those in the burning kitchen walked unhindered to the table.

Sebastian 'switched' and traced his traditional swords.

"Ready to fight already?" Death held out his hand, and a scythe materialized "I was hoping for some fun first"

"You'll get nothing!" Sebastian spoke so angrily that the echo sounded evil.

"But I am nothing" Death was quick on the uptake "A nothing with a singular purpose"

The Executioner has come,

His fangs are sharp, his claws-knives,

The very dead bow before him,

The living pale at his presence,

His judgement is Death,

As is his name in such,

Conquerors, Generals, farmers, all,

Heed his call at last in sleep,

'We are the Four Horsemen'

 **Chapter Extension**

Sebastian needed no invitation. He swung his blades at the man's neck, and it was blocked by the curved sword. He abandoned that tactic, and relentlessly slashed and bashed at the Homunculus before him.

"What would you do if they all died?" Death asked, mocking "If you had no choice but to face them in death-as you loved them in life"

A Magic circle formed beneath Death, but he seemed to know it was coming. He dodged it, swinging his Scythe at Sebastian's head. The Magus barely blocked it, and Death was already trying to attack again.

"What would you do if I had summoned your parents?" Death laughed "Would you bear to see them dead?"

"Shut up!" Sebastian back flipped "I won't stand for your words of poison"

Hands grabbed his legs, and arms wrapped around his torso, trapping his hands.

"But stand you do, Elric" Death loomed ever closer "And I will continue with the poison; one Knick of this blade, and you belong to me"

"So you want to kill me" Sebastian said "It's about time you fools actually tried"

Death was stopped by a blade dug in the floor right in front of him.

"You'll go no further" Kuro projected two more swords.

"And one doth protect you" he laughed manically "I think she'll do just fine"

"Kuro!" Sebastian said "Attack from a distance, don't let him hit you!"

"I know that" she snapped "Stop worrying about me, and get yourself free"

In mere seconds death was onto her, and she was forced to act defensively. Despite her speed, she could gain no ground, and the thing was relishing that fact.

"Kuro!" little Illya transformed and flew to the fight "I'm coming"

"w-wait" Kuro said "Not yet"

Sebastian tried getting free, but he was held fast. He could try magecraft-but he couldn't risk too much or he might take himself out.

Illya and Kuro were now keeping Death at bay, but it was a losing fight, and the others were still paralyzed.

A hand grabbed his head, and forced him to watch the fight, even as Death summoned minions-skeletal monsters that floated off the ground. Each had scythes.

"I'm going to enjoy taking you out" Death told the girls "And then I will have you kill the boy"

Suddenly another appeared. It was Miyu, and it looked like she was dressed as a knight. She held Excalibur.

"The class cards…I'd forgotten" Sebastian said.

She stabbed Death with the sword, which caused him to whack her into the other two.

"You're all little munchkins, and no match for me" he proudly boasted (which was sad, considering their age).

"I'll stop you before you touch them" she leaned on her sword, and charged again. The others followed.

Kuro attacked from the left, throwing her daggers at Death; Miyu attacked from the middle, brandishing Excalibur; and Illya went on the right, about to shoot a prana cannon right to him.

Death disappeared, and reappeared behind Irisveil, as she was getting up. He hoisted her by her hair, and attempted to impale her with the scythe. She hit him with a mana punch, and kicked him in the head, jumping off it and landing. She took a fighting stance.

"My husband taught me a thing or two about fighting" his grandmother boasted "I'm not a fragile flower"

"I love it, an actual challenge" Death laughed "What do you think Elric, is this exciting or what?"

"I will escape" Sebastian muttered "And when I do, you're dead"

"But I am Death" he charged the women, spinning his scythe in circles "And my will is powerful"

The girls were protected by a barrier, and Rin, with Luvia, appeared.

"You need to get out of that soon, Sebastian" Rin said "I don't know how much we can give this thing"

"His Alchemy seems to trump our magecraft" Luvia observed "Which means you'll have to move fast"

"One, two, three" Death counted "Four, five, six-and the talking sticks make eight. I must say this is admirable" he laughed manically.

Death attacked, but the group seemed to hold their own. Sebastian worked on the limbs binding him to the spot, trying for all his might to break free. He couldn't seem to make it work. He attempted magecraft, and though he could access his mana, he couldn't execute any spells or Magic Circles.

"Sebastian!" Rin yelled "Any time now!"

"I-I can't break free" he shouted "I'm completely stuck"

"And I won't let any of you help him" Death chided "You all just focus your powers at attacking me"

"The fact that he suggested that has got to mean it's a trap, right?" Illya asked.

"Of course it's a trap!" Rin dodged a minion "We need to free him somehow"

"I will attempt this" Kuro jumped back.

"Kuro, look out!" Sebastian yelled.

She barely dodged the scythe of another minion.

"Alright, creepy thing" she said "You're in my way"

"If we can somehow free him from a distance" Luvia said.

"Let me try" Irisviel said "I might be able to get past these things"

"Be careful momma" Illya intoned "These things are dangerous"

"Illyasviel" Luvia blocked an attack "Stay focused"

"You all trying to free him is really irking my style" Death complained "Just give up already"

"Shut up, creep" Rin managed a kick to the face, and dodged the scythe.

Irisviel ran out of the fight, and a reaper followed. She tried magecraft, but these things seemed to have an immunity to magic. She resorted to hand to hand, like most of them did (Illya, Kuro, and Miyu continued to use magecraft).

"This is bad" she said.

Sebastian watched with battle hardened weariness, as he realized Death was slowly achieving the victory…as if he was toying with them. He didn't like that; he didn't like that at all.

The bonds holding him refused to budge, and his attempts at magecraft appeared useless. The Magi that were his friends and family were struggling now, and it wouldn't be long before Death took them out one by one. Sebastian saw Illya stumble.

"Illya!" Irisviel screamed as Death went in for the kill.

This was enough…

"NO…" Sebastian said "no…no…no…no..."

He powered up, allowing the mana coursing through him to increase.

"AHHHHHHHGGHHH" he screamed, and the lights flickered and went out. It was quickly replaced by his glow in the moonlight "AHHHHHHGGGHHHH" the bonds were destroyed and electricity arched all around the room.

"Ohh, ha ha ha-that is good, I can actually feel that" Death was calmly excited.

"In mere moments all you'll be feeling is oblivion!" Sebastian screamed, as a ball of pure Prana materialized in front of him.

"It'll be that or disappointment" Death stepped closer to him "But go ahead, flip that coin"

"Sebastian!" Luvia screamed through the noise "You'll destroy us all"

"And that level of Prana output will kill you" Rin yelled as well, blocking falling debris.

"I know what I'm doing!" Sebastian retorted "Now all of you move back, I don't want you in the blast range"

"Aw, cute he actually cares-oh shoot!" Death was hit with the blast, and went through the wall.

"You're damn right, I care" Sebastian heaved, taking deep breaths.

"My mansion" Luvia lamented.

"Be glad you still have your life" Rin said, and peaked in the hole.

"Get back!" Sebastian 'switched', flexing his arm. He put on his glove, and clapped his hands.

Sebastian had created an air barrier on either side, compressing the air to the extent of it being impassable.

"What's going on?" Illya pounded on the barrier "Why can't we move forward?"

"This has got to be something you did" Kuro pointed at Sebastian.

"Of course it is" he said "Magic's not working against him, unlike the others. And I've had enough of his games"

And with that a Scythe appeared right next to Rin, who screamed and backed away.

Another appeared on Illya's side, with similar results.

Death came out of the hole; his limbs had increased from four to eight. His body resembled that of some kind of bug, but skeletal; and Sebastian gasped.

"Skull Reaper" he said, stepping back a few feet.

"It took me a while to perfect this form" Death breathed white smoke "I like the ring to Skull Reaper, but this is my real form"

Sebastian put his hands together.

"This is it" he placed them on the ground, and a gust hit Death. It made an ear piercing cry, which caused everyone to cover their ears.

"I am done with you" Sebastian said, and created compressed air bombs; throwing each at the monster before him. He used the charged air to create an electrical storm within the barrier, and charged the monster.

The resulting damage caused the giant monster a small amount of damage, and the barrier made it so his movements slowed. But when his left scythe pierced Sebastian's shoulder, the Alchemist crumbled to his knees in pain.

"Curse this barrier" Kuro seethed.

"It's enough to know you will die-beside like-minded people" Death inched ever closer.

"I don't think so" he gnashed, and willed his injured hand to move. He clapped his hands, and yielded them to the ground. The resulting fire blast threw the Skeletal monstrosity back.

Sebastian picked up a piece of metal, likely from the ceiling. He transmuted it, so as to look like a Rapier.

The monstrosity crashed through the hole, making it bigger, and screeching something fierce. Despite Sebastian's injured shoulder, he used the air beneath him to propel him to the monster's back. Then he stabbed with his fashioned Rapier, repeatedly. His aim was the center of the thing, where a red ball was located-that was the corrupted Philosopher's Stone, it had to be.

"Get off of me" it screamed.

"I don't think so" Sebastian retorted

The monster crawled up to the ceiling, but Sebastian held on to a back rib, digging to get to that red center. It tried throwing him off by bucking and thrashing, but he-injured shoulder aside-wouldn't give up.

He continued digging a hole in the thing, because he knew one thrust would be game over.

"You-you-I was winning!" It complained.

"I'd say your downfall was becoming this thing" Sebastian thrust his Rapier but missed.

The Monster fell to the floor; Sebastian inadvertently stabbed the ball as a result. The room swirled black; and became a reality marble of sorts.

"Time only moves forward, regardless of how many times you try going backwards"-Sebastian Elric (future), on his death bed.

Sebastian looked at his surrounds, and was surprised at how much at home he felt. The others looked around with a different interest; focused as they were with the occupant in the room.

"They could be after anything" he said in a gruff voice, and Sebastian realized he was looking at his future self.

He saw Death there, watching him-waiting for something.

"I can't let them have my work-so long I have worked…Kyree" he picked up a photograph "Stay safe"

The door blew open, and Solf himself walked through, followed by the three other horsemen.

"You've delayed the inevitable enough" he said, annoyed "And I find that to be a grievance I can't tolerate"

"You killed my father" his future self said "What are you after?"

"Edward Elric became a senile old fool" Solf smiled cynically "I'd like to say revenge was all I was after-he excelled at delaying my victory, after all. But he took what I had so long hoped to achieve, and threw it away for some noble bullshit; a true Alchemist would get past idiotic ideals. I'll put this plainly-I want a Philosopher's Stone"

"That's impossible" future Sebastian said "Equivalent Exchange doesn't allow for fantastical things like eternal life"

"Unless what you give equals what you want" Solf waved a hand dismissively "I already found a way past that"

"Then do what you will, and leave me and mine alone" future Sebastian reasoned "I can't contribute to your goals, and even if I could, I wouldn't"

"Because I killed your father? He would have died anyway" Solf said "As it turns out, my goals can only be achieved if I obtain a necessary component, and she's dead"

"Then forget this business and go away" future Sebastian pleaded "You don't need to do this"

Conquest took the picture frame from the desk, before he could be stopped.

"Master, what about her" he gave the picture to Solf "She may be carrying what we require within her"

"And we could be waiting another year for a dud, even if that was the case" Solf said.

"I won't let you" future Sebastian readied himself.

"No, the ritual was specific-we require the lesser portion for the greater portion to work" Solf said "That fool destroyed the original vessel during the third 'war'"

"You can't be serious!" future Sebastian was dumbstruck "Using the Holy Grail to get a Stone-that's your plan?"

"Yes it is" Solf said "And it'll work. The Einzberns may not be as advanced in Alchemy as we are, but they created a way to bend the 'rules' so to speak. The fact that such a gap in the timelines between our worlds is the only thing standing in my way…and you are the answer to that"

"You can't" future Sebastian reeled "You would destroy this world's timeline for your own selfish desire to live forever?"

"When I can return to my world through the Gate?" Solf said "I care not for this world and its people; and I will be the greatest Alchemist to have ever lived. Now you can either help me and be a part of that, or you can die-and I'll still get what I want"

The real Sebastian knew where this was going; as powerful as he knew his future self was, he was up against four Homunculi by himself-there was no way he could get out alive…but then why leave him alive to begin with? He looked at the others enraptured by the scene enfolding…and as he expected Irisviel and Kuro knew what the ritual was-even though he didn't.

He thought the Grail was a King Arthur tale; those stories fascinated him when he was younger, even with his mother showing him Excalibur using those class cards.

But for it to be the reason Einzbern Homunculi were created…his mother and Grandmother-he clenched his fists furiously.

His future self had an odd smile on his face, a smile of triumph.

"You want to kill me, then go ahead-I won't stop you" he got on his knees and held his arms outstretched at his sides "But I won't help you either"

"That is fine with me" Solf snapped his fingers "Death, why don't you take him out"

And Death had moved from the shadows, his smile enriched all the more for to kill another pleased him like nothing else could.  
"Berry the Chopper" Solf muttered softly "Ironic that the Elric brothers killed you, and now you kill Ed's son"

Future Sebastian had that triumphant smile on his face, even as he was struck down with the Scythe.

"Search the house for his research on Teleportation" Solf barked "With any luck we don't need to do much"

"We should have subdued him" Conquest said "I have a feeling his life was necessary for your goal, Master"

"This house is full of stuff" War said "But it's all being wiped; some kind of enchantment is on everything"

The Crimson Lotus Alchemist realized his mistake far too late.

"Quickly" he said "Find me a completed transmutation circle for teleportation. We'll take the whole house with us if I must"

"That would use up the last of the Stone" Famine said.

"We'll make more later" Solf huffed "Where we're going, it'll be easy"

"Here, but it's also disappearing" Death said.

Solf wasted no time. He clapped his hands and touched the circle.

"Give me everything" he said, and the whole house disappeared in a flash. The reality marble crashed.

Death was a pile of bones on the floor.

"W-What just happened?" Luvia asked.

"I think that was a reality marble" Rin said.  
"This can't be" Irisviel clutched Kuro and Illya in her arms "I-I don't understand"

"What is this Holy Grail?" Sebastian asked her "You know-and I watched, and endured terrible things because of this thing; we all have"

She looked at him, and her face…she was scared for them both.

"I also know about the Holy Grail" Miyu looked forlornly at him "I know- I know…because I am the Holy Grail"


	10. Chapter 10

Storms often pass by, and those that remain pick up the pieces.

But sometimes the storm is so massive, that the reprieve is more dangerous than the storm itself.

The people come out unaware,

Hoping against despair,

That comes,

When the eye of the storm overshadows the war to come…

There is Fate, or destiny…

And then there's the Alchemist.

 **Chapter 10**

Irisviel patched up Sebastian's shoulder using healing magic, as it got too painful for him to do it. They were in the Einzbern house, across the street from the mansion.

Rin and Luvia sat in the living room, quietly pondering the events that happened not twenty minutes ago. Kuro and Illya were sitting together, and Miyu sat next to them on the floor. Shirou was helping a still shocked Sella and Leysritt (Leysritt apparently took it at face value and left it as such) complete the chores in the house.

Irisviel for her part decided to sit next to Illya and Luvia, creating in Sebastian's eyes, a natural sort of barrier. Of course this was just musings, while he waited for answers from the now three people who knew about the Holy Grail or a concept of anyway.

He projected a chair and sat opposite of them…and the love seat remained empty.

The thing about watching that scene play out in the dining room of that mansion that had Sebastian on edge was that he watched himself die, and not only that but everyone watched him die…and he died because he hoped that would stop the Crimson Lotus Alchemist.

That fool's whole plan was the Holy Grail, which kind of made sense. Somehow he got a hold of the fact that it existed, and believed that it would get him what so many others failed to achieve. As an Alchemist, Sebastian was actually curious about what and how the Stone did its job; but knowing the price required-a mass amount of people or his own family…it was something he resolved to stop completely. That all being said, using the Holy Grail, even without sacrificing anyone…it wasn't a respectful bay to achieve the 'Grail' of Alchemy.

Sebastian sighed.

"I know you are hurting Iri-Grandmother" Sebastian inclined his head "But I need to know what this 'Holy Grail' is"

She sucked in her breath, and wouldn't meet his gaze.

"Y-You died for us" she said hesitantly "Why-why is he-"

But Miyu spoke up.

"It is a cup…a cup with Wish granting power, a miracle" She did look at him "But only to one who possesses the Cup, is the wish granted"

"Miyu" Illya mourned.

"I-I am such a cup, a Holy Grail" she said "I was born to this effect, kept locked from the others; hidden from the world and its pain. But people who fought these battles wished harm on my village-and I-I wanted to help them"

"There was a war fought over you?" Sebastian asked.

She nodded.

"I didn't know it at the time, but I couldn't watch all those people die for something so selfish" Miyu said "Because people did die for this, and it might happen again. I will stop that if I must-I can't bear to see it happen again"

"Where did this happen?" he asked.

"In another world, parallel to this…that's why collecting these cards" she showed them "They are important…related even to the Grail"

"Heroic spirits" Sebastian muttered "So that's what she meant"

"So when the note said vessels?" Rin gasped "They were talking about the Grail"

"Yes indeed" Luvia said "We are looking at three-four Grail vessels"

Sebastian shot up.

"Wait, you can't mean…"he looked at all of them "Einzbern Homunculi…were made for this purpose" He clenched his hands "That's vile-why, why would they do this?" He looked at Irisviel "Why would they want this? You-them, created to die for this evil ritual"

"I was willing to die" Irisviel said sadly "But Grandfather wanted Illya-and I…and I" she had tears in her eyes "I couldn't let them take my daughter away; my Husband and I made sure that war couldn't ever be fought again" she said, wiping her tears.

"The Crimson Lotus Alchemist believes he can summon the grail" he went to Irisviel and grabbed her shoulders "Grandmother, can he still use them for the Grail…can he?" he stopped and waited, hoping against all odds.

"We stopped the war, by eliminating everyone who knew how to begin it" she said "The Einzberns, the Matous, they are all gone. We burned all documented proofs on the Grail that we found, and even the Tohsakas helped us" she said "But-but" her tears welled up again "We couldn't destroy the Grail-without first summoning it" she sobbed hard now, and grabbed her daughters, hugging them tight.

Sebastian yelled furiously.

"He knows" he said "He knows how, he said it himself-he obtained the information sixty years from now, so you must have missed something. I-I can't let him take my family…I can't" he paced around.

"We can give them protection" Rin said "Miss Irisviel, you said you knew the Tohsakas…my dad might be dead, but I have all his stuff locked away. Maybe-"

"Magic won't work against the Homunculus that still remains" Sebastian interrupted "The Alchemy from my dad's world trumps our Magecraft"

"Well then, wouldn't leaving Fuyuki solve the problem?" Luvia asked "I may not be as versed in Grail lore as the Einzberns, but even I knew they were always fought here"

Sebastian stopped.

"Why were they always fought here?" he asked.

"The uniqueness of the Ley Lines connecting to this city made it an Ideal choice" Rin said "But with the ley lines being what they are right now, I don't think a war can be fought here"

"Maybe that's why three vessels are needed" Luvia intoned "Because a war's not being fought here"

That wasn't exactly true to Sebastian; battles were certainly fought here-almost on top of each other. Something about this was trying to connect with him, but it's like he was grasping on straws.

"Can the ritual be modified?" he asked.

At this Irisviel looked up, and wiped her eyes.

"I don't know if it can" she sniffed "It's never been done"

Sebastian thought about this.

"He mentioned the original vessel being destroyed in the third war…that was the last war fought" he said "So without the 'original', how were they going to use you to summon the Grail?"

Irisviel gasped.

"He's got a modified ritual for it" Sebastian said "If they could modify it for Homunculi, then it could certainly be modified for some other contingency…if the Grail itself wasn't destroyed"

"I need to call my husband" she got up "He'll know what to do"

"You mean daddy's coming back?" Illya bounced up, and followed her.

"Well I'm not going to be treated like some damsel" Kuro looked at Sebastian "I'm going to help you take this guy down"

"Agreed" Luvia said, getting up "I don't want to lose any of you to this maniac"

"I'm going to help as well" Rin said.

"Do we have a plan?" Miyu asked "Sapphire and I want to help, but we can't just charge in the battle, we need a strategy"

"We need to find out where he's hiding" Sebastian said "The Homunculi were the only enemies I have seen since I got here"

"What about where the Einzberns used to live" Rin suggested "I think it was Germany"

"I would think it was much closer" Sebastian said "But you do have a point. This is an Einzbern ritual, and if any of their stuff remains, I would think it's in Germany"

What he didn't say was that there was stuff in Einzbern castle just outside of Fuyuki-and he had found it. Sebastian wanted to go back there, but didn't want the others finding out just yet.

There was also the matter of this 'Mage Killer'.

His anger at the injustice his enemy would go all the way for the Stone wasn't about to just leave. His family was in danger, and there might be another unknown, especially if this Mage Killer went back to finish the job.

"So we need to find this last Homunculus" Rin said after a while.

"He's still here in this city" Sebastian said "If the other three were, then it's safe to assume that he is as well"

"Then where do we start looking?" Kuro asked "I want him dead before he touches any of us"

"That is a problem" Sebastian said "I don't think any of the Homunculi were ever in the same place together, nor do I know of any possible location for the last one"

"Well I don't think it's a good idea to begin looking tonight" Luvia said "Better to wait for the morning, we'll have to skip school, but considering the state of my mansion-I think the school will overlook our absence"

"You may skip school, but Kuro and Illya will both be going" Sella said strictly, walking into the conversation "And you, Mr. Elric" she looked at Sebastian "I accept that you are related to Miss Illya, but you better mind your P's and Q's. It's bad enough I have to deal with Shirou being a pervert; I will not have another in this house"

Sebastian scratched his head.

"She's my mother Miss Sella" he said sheepishly "I don't think in a million years that would ever be a problem"

"Well if I have to wait a million and one years to stop you" she said a-matter-of-factly "then make no mistake, I will young man" and she excused herself.

"The Board is set; the pieces are moving"-unknown, The Holy Grail wars.

Sebastian cleared up the dining room nicely, if he did say so himself. No, he didn't go to school today and neither did Rin and Luvia…but they left with Irisviel to do something. He didn't know, and neither did he care. Well he did, but this was the only chance he had at going back to Einzbern Castle.

After making sure his room was clean, he packed a few things, and left a note telling them that he would be at school the next day.

Deciding that he would be better suited as an Alchemist, Sebastian put on his robes and glove and with his pack on his back, and he made his way to Einzbern Forest.

He wasn't followed; of that he was sure of.

Trudging through the woods was creepy for Sebastian, but the sight of the Castle left him with a sort of awe.

Of the Castle's beauty, there was no question. It was five stories of perfect European Architecture, and since Sebastian lived in Germany, he would have such knowledge. It just never ceased to amaze him.

He took note that the bodies were gone, although some of the guns remained, giving the impression that they were bought or transmutations separate from War's…ability? Sebastian walked through the front door, and walked all the way to the room. Going through the sealed room was just as easy as the first time, and he spared a glance at the picture before turning away to the desk.

The first thing he did was pick up the picture. It had the name at the back and featured his grandmother, mother and the man that was likely the father. Illya had seemed to think he was coming back, which was definitely going to help in terms of balance to the house.

He was wasting time.

The desk was cleared out; and the pictures, books, and documents were all arranged in piles. Sebastian spent a while looking through the pictures, but conceded that most of them were useless without context, so he placed them in a drawer (except for the picture of his family) and went to the books.

Again like before, they were the sort that were works previously done by the reclusive Einzberns; magical proofs and Algorithms better left to history for how crude or medieval some looked. Sebastian read them all; hoping that one was about the Holy Grail.

As it turned out, the books were ranged from many things; often talking about the Third Magic, which was the object of their desire for the Grail (now that Sebastian figured out what they personally called the Grail), to discussing Wish Granting Magic…which was what Sebastian was taught by his mother. She had never called it that, but the Magecraft done by the Einzberns was both powerful and weak at the same time, as it was limited to the amount of magic circuits the individual Magus had. Sebastian and the other Homunculi of his kind (he was the only male) had lots of Magic Circuits-but history proved the Einzberns in general didn't possess the level of magical talent inherent in the Tohsakas or the Matous.

This was why obtaining the third magic meant so much to them.

The Einzberns were master Alchemists; however. This one truth led to much of the Family becoming artificial in some way, so as to boost their magic levels. From Golems, to Homunculi, to infusing organs and limbs with magical energy and artificial circuits, it seemed they over compensated for the loss of their 'third magic' and their weak magi. They were excellent healers, and Sebastian moved his healed shoulder subconsciously at the thought.

What had always irked him was the concept of creating artificial beings to add them to the family. This, in Sebastian's original opinion, was just trying to play god-but seeing the reasoning behind it, he could only grudgingly agree that were it not for that, he would not exist. That was a sober thought.

The only thing that really confused him now was the concept of Heaven's Feel. It referred to what he believed was the Grail Wars, but in some cases, it was talking about the lost magic. Since Sebastian was here only for information on the Holy Grail; this became something that he just wanted to ignore in his searching.

It became apparent that Sebastian had to read up on what happened in this last war…as it took place in the late 1930s. And that is where the documents came in handy. There was also a diary of sorts, but he would wait until after he read up on what actually happened.

Through his careful research; the first two Wars were 'normal', at least as normal as a Grail War could be. Lord Justeaze created the Greater Grail in or around 1790, along with the alliance of two other families. The intent was actually not to fight, but to obtain access to Akasha…whatever that was.

"There's just too many mysteries surrounding this thing" he sighed.

Somehow they lost sight of that for other things; such as the Third Magic and lesser desires, coupled with the fact that they couldn't just share the damn thing. The problem was it would only grant the wish of one individual.

The first war actually began ten years later-but wasn't really a war. Some minor conflicts occurred and the Catholics interfered as well, for one reason or another.

The second war began around the American civil war, and what a surprise…everyone died.

Sebastian huffed, and continued.

The third war proved to be most interesting, at least from an historical standpoint. It involved the Einzberns, Matous, and Tohsakas…but Luvia's older family members were involved as well. He'd have to ask her about that.

There was an anomaly, but it was more of a shortcoming than a trump card. In place of an Assassin Class there was an 'Avenger Class', but the Servant summoned was weak and had no abilities.

Sebastian thought that was odd, considering it was an Einzbern Master who summoned this thing. Between that, the fact that the Edelfelt Masters both summoned Saber Class servants and the Nazis were in this. Yeah, the bloody Nazis, led by an Association outcast named Darnic Prestone Yggdmillennia, had tried to obtain the Grail illegally-which ended up involving the Imperial Army of Japan as well.

"No wonder the original vessel was destroyed" he commented "With all the irregularities and political clout, it's a wonder the Magi managed to stay hidden"

Except that was supposed to be it, if Irisviel, her husband, and Miss Tohsaka's father helped end the emergence of a Fourth Holy Grail War.

So how did the Crimson Lotus Alchemist get ahold of the Ritual-the information here only suggests that the Wars didn't have to be fought?

The greatest culprit could be Germany, but this was Sixty years after the current year, and the Grail wars were completed about Sixty some odd years ago. One hundred twenty years is a long time for even a castle to stay intact, much less the information stored within.

Incredibly, it could be the testament to Einzbern power that allowed the Crimson Lotus Alchemist to obtain the information…but that didn't seem right.

There was something about the Avenger that was summoned that didn't make sense. And there was a diary there as well.

Sebastian shifted through the information available, but didn't read the diary. He put it in his backpack, and took only what was really important to show the others. He grabbed the picture and stuffed that in his pocket. He wanted to leave, because it was getting dark out.

Sebastian spared one more look at Lord Justeaze. Then he shut the door.

It would be a long night.


	11. Chapter 11

"Mommy?" the boy asked "Can I see it again?"

"Sure you can" she smiled "I'm glad you like it"

"It makes me happy to see you do it" he giggled with glee "The Sword is my favorite"

"Heed my call" she said, holding the card "Give me thy body. Give me thy sword to wield. If you would obey the Grail's ally and obey this will and reason then answer my summons!"

The card in question had a blue light surrounding it and her, a unique magic circle.

"I make this oath here. Though ever do I strive for good, ever do I proliferate evil" she said "Thou who art seven heavens clad in three great words of power, arrive from the ring of restraint, O guardian of the Scales!"

The boy's eyes grew wide.

"Install!"

-Illyasviel von Einzbern, showing her son the Class cards.

 **Chapter 11**

The Mansion was on fire. Well it was actually destroyed, but that was another issue. Miss Tohsaka and Miss Edelfelt were nowhere to be seen, and Illya and Miyu were half dead.

Sebastian sucked in a breath. Did the Homunculus attack while he was gone? He had no idea what was happening until he saw Kuro cry out. A person was walking towards her, asking about Class Cards. This was bad.

"-the Card is in my body" Kuro said, haughtily.

"Well then" the person said "I'll just have to gouge it out of your body" She put her fists together suggestively.

This was bad…but Sebastian knew who that person was. It would be hard, but he would definitely kick her butt. His only problem was that it appeared she didn't age in forty years or more…so she might be stronger simply because she was younger. Sebastian steeled himself; as long as he didn't use magic, her Ragnarok would be useless.

"Bazett Fraga McRemitz!" he said, startling them all "You will step away from the girl or else"

She turned, staring at Sebastian as if figuring how best to put him on the ground. But since her future self trained him in hand to hand combat, he would know all her moves.

"Well this is different" she said "I believe you have no business here, but since you're so inclined…"

"Sebastian" Kuro warned "Don't use magecraft"

"As if refraining will help you" she said.

"Seb-Seb…" Illya tried to talk "R-run, please"

She charged, brandishing her fists.

Sebastian moved in a position to best block her move, but at the last second she decided kicks were better. He jumped back and clapped his hands, creating air pressure enough to push her back.

"That's not magecraft" she said "It won't matter in the end"

Bazett grabbed the tree already uprooted and swung. Sebastian ducked and set the tree on fire. She threw it in the broken mansion. He threw a punch, and she kicked his side. He rolled with the kick, and shot back up to punch again. It landed on her forearm, but she brushed it off. She grabbed his arm and swung him in the sky.

Sebastian 'switched' and used a barrier to steady himself, before descending to the ground.

She noted the change, and charged again almost instantly.

Sebastian 'switched' again, and rolled out of the way. He clapped his hands together, creating an electrical charge from the instability and mana usage in the air. He threw electric balls, but she dodged them all, and landed about two feet from him.

Bazett lunged, but he ducked and at the last moment punched her in the stomach. She slid back from the impact, but recovered almost right away.

"This is a different fight" she acknowledged "But it changes nothing. I am only here for the Class Cards"

"I don't care if you're here for tricks and treats" he said in English.

"Oh, so you're noticeably different from them" she responded in kind, with a slight accent "You are the source of the strange disturbances in different parts of the town?"

"What disturbances?" Sebastian asked, humoring her.

"The different accidents that have occurred, and the destruction of an entire neighborhood. Not to mention the huge displacement we have record of, as well as the big bursts of mana" she looked annoyed "I had thought it was these kids doing all that"

"I don't know about the accidents or the displacement" Sebastian said "But I could probably tell you about some of the other stuff. You'll get nothing unless you surrender and leave these girls alone"

"I wouldn't even bother with them, but my orders are absolute" she said "I need to bring the Class Cards back to the Clock Tower"

"That's not happening" Sebastian said "So you can forget it"

"Then there's nothing left to talk about" she said, and charged.

It was a testament to all the times she wiped the floor with him that he held his ground. They grappled, even as the shockwave of such an attack leveled the mansion and the surrounding land owned by Luvia.

"You know too much about me" she grunted "It irks me, but no matter"

"Your little Ragnarok is useless" Sebastian huffed "It can't defend against me"

"What are you?" she pushed him back a little.

"Better that I leave that to myself" Sebastian regained his ground.

Bazett broke ranks and punched him square in the face, sending him tumbling like a rag doll backwards several feet.

"Sebastian" Kuro ran brokenly over, clutching her stomach "This can't continue"

She walked nonchalantly to where they were, flexing her hands in fists.

"Kuro" Sebastian put a hand on her shoulder "Get Illya and Miyu to safety…get to Grandmother if you must"

"She'll be going nowhere until I have that card" Bazett stated, and getting nearer by the minute.

"Stay safe, Sebastian" Kuro said.

He chuckled.

"She'll get what's coming in just a minute" he said, getting up "No get going, I don't want you in the blast radius"

Sebastian clapped his hands together and smashed them in the ground. It created a ripple so huge that Bazett was thrown like a ragdoll several feet.

"How-" she managed, and got up again.

"It's amazing what you can do without magic" Sebastian bragged "I bet you this next part will get interesting"

"It doesn't matter" Bazett said "This battle is pointless because I'm not leaving without the cards"

Sebastian wasn't going to keep fighting her over this. He clapped his hands, and dug his fists in the ground, covering himself in dirt. He then used the fire surrounding him and Bazett and made his newly formed rock armor molten.

Bazett stopped, this was things she had never seen before, and for once in all the time he knew her, she was surprised-really surprised.

"You're right" she gave a faint smile "This is interesting"

"It's not about what you can do; it's always about what you don't know you can do, what you believe to be impossible" –Edward Elric, when teaching his son Alchemy.

Each of them didn't relent upon the other.

Rin and Luvia, along with Auguste had showed up at some point in the fight. They were beat up heavily, but even so they did not leave. Illya and Kuro had recovered enough to huddle next to them, cradling the still recovering Miyu in their lap.

Bazett's punches and kicks weren't really piercing the molten armor that Sebastian was using probably because when she did, the melted rock would just move over the affected area. The armor had slowed him considerably, enough so that he really couldn't hit Bazett either.

It gave him the advantage of hurdling molten rock at his opponent, which if it struck her, she would be severely injured if not dead. That was cancelled out by her Noble Phantasms and the like but it would be enough to stop her in her tracks.

Another words, they had hit a stalemate, and both combatants knew it. It was only a matter of who would cease fighting first.

On a smaller scale, when Sebastian was old enough and strong enough to provide a challenge to Bazett in his timeline, this would often be the case. But then it was a matter of her training him, not defeating him, and the prize was increased endurance on his part and not Class Cards and the like.

She wasn't any less scary, but then she wasn't trying to kill him either. Which he more or less couldn't say for this situation.

They punched each other's fists, which caused a shockwave.

She grunted and went for his abdomen, punching it so fast; it was like she was a machine gun. It really freaking hurt. Sebastian was shoved back as a result; the heat of his armor was starting to get to him. She in response wrung her hands, as if they actually annoyed her. Still though, it really looked like she wouldn't relent.

"We can do this all day, Bazett, and it'll get us nowhere" Sebastian huffed.

"Are you trying to say you're giving up?" she asked, interested.

"I'm trying to say this fighting is useless" he responded.

"I have said that from the beginning" she said, turning her attention to the hurting spectators "But I'm not leaving without those cards"

"And I'm not letting you hurt my-um" he had stopped, because he didn't want to give it away.

"You're what?" she asked, though he could tell she didn't care much.

"I won't let you hurt them" he said instead, and she took the hint.

"What you will allow and won't is irrelevant" she insisted "I'm getting what I came here for"

Sebastian growled.

"You won't relent for nothing, it's just like you" he yelled.

"You say it as if you know me" she said "Which is likely, as you are familiar with my fighting style. The problem is, I've never seen you before"

"Yeah, I get that a lot lately" he responded "But that doesn't change the fact that you are stubborn as all hell"

"It's the goal that is important" she said "And my goal is obtaining those cards for the Clock Tower"

"And I thought that was their job" he pointed at them.

"Things in the Association often change" she brandished her fists again "And I do what I'm told"

Instead of fighting him, she went over to the others, intending on attacking them outright. She was knocked to the side by a big blue fist.

Irisviel herself had showed up, and her magecraft had succeeded at taking Bazett by surprise.

"Grandmother" he cried "Magecraft won't work against her"

"Sebastian, is that you?" she asked, airily, a bit bemused by his appearance.

"It's a long story, but yes it's me" he said, and clapped his hands. He threw compressed air bombs at Bazett as she tried charging Irisviel. Bazett stopped, and actually appeared very annoyed.

"If you'd just give me the cards, I wouldn't be doing this" she said.

"Well isn't that a pity" a voice said.

Everyone turned to him as he walked closer. He sported an Amestrian Military Uniform, and there appeared to be two others identical in appearance.

"Elric, it's nice that you have all the vessels lined up for me" he said "Although I would have preferred them less damaged"

Sebastian threw off his armor and walked in his way, blocking the others from his path.

"You have to be Conquest" Sebastian said "Nice doppelgangers you have there"

"Thanks" he said "You'll love what they really are. Now if you will, get out of my way"

"I don't think so" he said "Why don't you turn around and go back the way you came"

"But I came all the way here" he said "On orders from my boss by the way"

"I'm not letting the Crimson Lotus Alchemist summon the Grail" he said "You can forget it"

"You acquired such information in such a short time" Conquest sighed "I wish it didn't have to be like this"

Bazett charged Conquest, pushing him back, and engaging the other two.

"This is remarkable" one said.

"Like taking candy from a baby" the other said.

"I was going to take her anyway" Conquest declared, brushing off his uniform.

One of the Doppelgangers stabbed his hand into Bazett, and raised her off the ground.

"No" she said weakly, as a black tar-like substance started to spread across her body "No"

Her body twitched and convulsed as it changed, the tar spreading to all parts of her before reaching above and covering her face.

"What the hell did you just do?" Sebastian yelled.

"The same thing I did to your parents" the doppelganger said, as it put the third one back down and fixed the uniform.

The third one looked at the really frightened group, and gestured.

"Meet Illyasviel von Einzbern" he said, pointing at the first one "And Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist" he pointed at number two.

"And this was your friend Bazett" Conquest patted the third one on the back, laughing.

"BASTARD" Sebastian screamed.

"And I looked and beheld a city burned with fire" Conquest chanted "The people ravaged, the cattle maimed, the crops damaged, the life drained. Conquest" he said "War, Famine, Death"

"WE ARE THE FOUR HORSEMEN" they chanted.


	12. Chapter 12

And I looked and beheld a city burned with fire,

The people ravaged, torn, used, worn.

The spoils of conflict vast, the cattle maimed,

Gold tarnished, silver maimed.

Wrongfully judged, the crops damaged, hopeless, tearful,

Thus it was with the New World Order.

He took what was not his, and gave what he had not,

The life drained from those opposed, assassin blade, poison fade.

Conquest,

War,

Famine,

Death.

'We are the Four Horsemen'

 **Chapter 12**

Little Illya brokenly ran to Sebastian, ready to attack with him, should she need to. Kuro walked behind her; and Irisviel, Rin, and Luvia followed.

"He's really got me in there, then?" she looked up at him, hopeless to the tears leaking silently down her face.

Sebastian kept his eyes on the four versions of Conquest, but his hand slid to her head, and he patted her gently.  
"I cannot stop you from fighting this time" he said "Though I would take them all on for you all"

"No one's asking you to be a martyr" Kuro said "And I'd be stupid to leave you alone now"

"She has a point" Rin said "You look like you're ready to break down any second"

"I'd have to agree with her" Luvia said "I have never seen that face set so sadly"

"Even if she's all grown up" Irisviel said "He's got my Illya and I can't abide that"

"To be honest, the only evidence of Mr. Elric's parents being one of those people is what happened to our assailant" Auguste said "But I go where my Mistress goes"

"Oh, they're there alright" Sebastian spat "That smug face says it all"

"If you're done with the prattle" Conquest said, from behind the other Conquests "I've got three little girls with the Grail's name on them, and Master won't wait forever"

"Then you'll have to come get us!" Miyu screamed from behind them all "No one touches Illya and gets away with it!"

"But I already have" Conquest smiled "And she has awarded me great strength"

The Conquest to the left activated a magic circle, the Conquest to the right clapped his hands, and the Conquest in the front brandished his fists.

"Whatever you do" Sebastian got ready "Do not let them anywhere close to you"

The Conquest in the front charged so fast towards Illya, that Sebastian had to block using his arms. She gasped.

"You're mine" he said.

"I don't think so" that Conquest punched him in the face, pushing him back.

Mana cannons were fired into the fray, by the Conquest who was hovering in the sky with a magic shield as a platform. Irisviel and Kuro attacked that one.

Rin and Luvia attacked the third one with the Alchemical talent, and were just holding on, until Auguste provided defense support using the guns he had.

But Sebastian had a problem, outside of the fight with his opponent.

It seemed the last Conquest just watched the show with a smile on his face, like he was ready to step in on a moment's notice.

Sebastian grew irritated fast. Irisviel and he were the only ones who weren't half dead, and even so-the Homunculus that took over their captives were probably using all the energy that they could use.

And that probably affected his dad the most.

Every moment that Sebastian could breathe, Conquest tried taking Illya. It was the same with Irisviel and Kuro; and even Miyu was finally attacking the last Conquest. She had to keep flying in the air, and it looked like he was toying with her.

Sebastian was knocked back, and Illya didn't jump in the air in time.

"Got you" he told her, and squeezed her leg, allowing his…tar stuff to spread. Miyu attacked that Conquest from behind, and Sebastian tore that vile substance off.  
"Prana Cannon" Miyu screamed, and fired at that Conquest, who activated Ragnarok.

Sebastian put a stop to that with a punch made of rock, and engaged the Conquest in battle. He promptly tried 'absorbing' him, but was interrupted by a blast from Illya.

"This…sucks…" she huffed.

"If you'd just give up" Conquest told her "Life wouldn't be so bad"

"Monster" Sebastian hit him with a blast of air "I'm fighting you"

"S-stop" Illya said "I don't want you hurt anymore"

"What they'll do to you will hurt me more than these injuries" Sebastian punched Conquest in the gut and threw him with his rock hand.

"What would happen if we took out the leader?" Ruby asked.

Sebastian regarded the Mystic Code.

"We'd have to defeat him first" there was a blast in the distance and a scream.

Sebastian looked in that direction and saw his grandmother being 'absorbed' by the Conquest she had fought.

"NOOOO!" Sebastian 'switched' and dashed to that Conquest so fast, that everyone momentarily stopped to watch.

He plunged his hands in the stomach of that Conquest and pried it open.

"Wh-What are you doing!" it said, and its voice warped, becoming more female.

" . . " he ripped the substance off the person, who he didn't even see.

The black tar-like thing latched onto him, and they fought for control of his body. The rest of the tar substance (from that person) attacked Sebastian, before being eradicated by a force.

It was his mother, his real mother, and her face was set in such hatred and agony for the black stuff.

"y-you w-ilwill lea-leave hi-im alon-ne" she managed, though she looked like she was ready to collapse. Her vestige was pallid, her arms weak, and mana arched all around her, rapidly healing…but she still stood.

"That was unexpected" Conquest said from right next to Sebastian, which caused him to bolt upright.

The monster's black-tar substance was over little Illya's mouth, and she looked really scared. He held her like a ventriloquist does a doll.

"I didn't expect you to abandon her for one of the many others in this clearing" he said, his smile cynical.

Irisviel got up, still slightly shocked by seeing her daughter all grown up, but nonetheless pissed at Conquest's tactics.

"You should be ashamed of yourself" she breathed.

"I know I should" he laughed "I should have when I turned my wife and daughter to Chimeras; I should have when I experimented on countless subjects before becoming what I am today. Pity Ed and Al didn't finish me off when they had the chance"

"Pity that the only thing standing in my way of eradicating you is your hostages" Sebastian powered himself up so, that the hair was flying around, and everyone in the clearing was in danger of falling by the gusts that had formed.

"AAAAGGGGHHH" he screamed, and pushed them all back. He charged the Conquest in front of him, knocking him senseless, and freeing little Illya from his grasp.

"Get to your mother, and stay with her" he said, and dove his hands into that Conquest, prying him open.

And the whole place exploded with activity.

 **I am tired of fighting these guys – Sebastian Elric, on fighting Homunculi.**

The remaining two Conquests were dominating the field. It seemed that everyone who he had tried to turn into him was suffering from the same curse. Everyone except Sebastian anyway. The others were in a barrier that he had set up.

Rin and Luvia were taking care of Irisviel and his mother, and Auguste was taking care of Kuro and little Illya, and Bazett. Only Sebastian and Miyu were actually fighting.

Both Conquests were fighting from a distance, the same as Miyu; and Sebastian tried to get near one, to see if he could free his father.

Seeing his mother was a joy to him, the way he had saved her wasn't. And the fact that his parents were here meant they weren't in his timeline, and that was a cause for worry.

"You seem distracted" Conquest was smug.

"You can't get past my barrier, not when I'm taking up your attention" Sebastian exclaimed "I just have to kill you"

"Yes, and that's going real well" he stated "But I want to know what's taking your attention away from me"

"Death was the only one to really fight for his life" Sebastian said "What's your gimmick? You could have wiped the floor with me and the others"

"Telling you would defeat the purpose" Conquest said "I wouldn't want to make it easy for you"

Miyu suddenly cried out.

Sebastian looked, but was sucker punched by Conquest.

"Beaten again, Sebastian" Conquest said "You don't have the will to save your friends"

Sebastian got up, to see Miyu almost enveloped by Conquest.

"Checkmate, Sebastian" Conquest said.

Sebastian ran to the other Conquest and tackled him to the ground.

"Purge!" he screamed, putting his mana into those words. A magic circle appeared, and the black-tar stuff disappeared from Miyu's body. It was half shaved off of the doppelganger, revealing the Fullmetal Alchemist.

"Dad" Sebastian screamed, and his father opened his eyes.

"Se-Ebast-astan" he tried, and smiled. Sebastian purged the black thing from his dad, and hugged him.

"d-dad" he stuttered, sobbing "Your back"

Edward returned the hug, but it was weak.

"I-I-lov-e y-o-you" he slumped, his metal arm dangling.

"It's asking a lot" Sebastian wiped his tears, but he nudged Miyu "Take my dad to the group, and stay with him"

"But I need to help" she managed, half falling over.

"I need to finish this myself" Sebastian said "You and me both know he should have wiped us out"

"I know you haven't spoken much" Miyu said "But you're important to my Illya, so come back…alright"

"I plan on it" Sebastian turned to Conquest.

"Touching, Elric" Conquest fixed his uniform "That was quite the performance"

Sebastian waited until the two was behind the barrier; before moving forward. Everyone was going to watch this play out.

"The Holy Grail and you're pitiful performance" Sebastian said "I want answers"

"Of course you do" Conquest sighed "I wanted you to see it as a surprise"

"You didn't bring me here, and ruin all our lives for a surprise" Sebastian yelled "Now stop toying with me"

"I think we're well past toying" Conquest said "You're dad was just as inquisitive you know, when he was your age"

"And with good reason" Sebastian countered "This 'war' has gone on long enough. Now are you going to beat around the bush, or are you going to tell me what I want to know"

"No I don't think I will" Conquest said "My Master wouldn't like that at all"

"I demand something!" Sebastian argued "If you're just going to throw your life away; I need to know why"

"That is simple enough then" Conquest looked at the group "To obtain, you need to give-even the Holy Grail demands it"

"What do you mean?" Sebastian said.

"What I mean to say is, Master can't have the Stone without the Grail, and can't have the Grail without meeting the price…does that comfort you"

"And what is the price?" Sebastian said.

"I think you know" Conquest answered "You just need to find out"

"People find out what they don't know" Sebastian got angry "Your word play doesn't cut it"

"But I gave you something; just as you asked" Conquest said, and smiled "You may need to be more specific in the future"

"Then at least tell me this, why did you take my mother?" Sebastian asked.

"That is simple in its self" Conquest said "She was a Grail vessel"

"What do you mean was?" Sebastian looked at him.

"She's dying" he said simply "The modified ritual would have destroyed her, at any rate-her magic is powerful, but an unintended side effect of studying such a specimen left her irreparably damaged. The Magic Circuits as you call them were scared from duplication; and her natural degeneration had already reached a peak point, and my interference with making her my servant sealed the deal"

Sebastian shuddered.

"You're lying" he said "You can't be telling the truth"

"What reason do I have to lie?" Conquest said "Even when your dad and his brother came knocking at my door I did not lie"

"I just got-" Sebastian steeled himself "Then I suppose there is nothing left to say"

Conquest used his black tar to create a sword.

"No, young Elric, there isn't" he said.

With a battle cry Sebastian projected swords and attacked Conquest. And it started to rain. Swipe after swipe, parry after parry, bash after bash; Sebastian didn't relent.

In agony he tried to stab him, and pain unknown he tried to slash him. The last one, the last of the Horsemen.

For his part, the enemy tried to end Sebastian just as much…and the rain fell all the harder.

"UGGGH" he screamed and went for an uppercut.

Conquest parried and tried to land a downward slash. The fire around them had more than faded, and the light they were given was simply the thunderstorm overhead.

Sebastian jumped back, sliding in the mud, and charged forward at speeds he'd balk at. He only hit air; however, as Conquest went for a backwards hit, and jumped over him.

"He he" he said, as Sebastian only just managed to block. Sebastian tried for a horizontal swipe, only for Conquest to parry and try to cut his head off.

Lightning flashed as they clashed, and Sebastian's soaked face sported rainy tears as the hatred for him only got worse.

Conquest's maniacal face was also with tears, and he brushed his matted hair out of his face.

The wind picked up, and only the barrier Sebastian formed over the onlookers kept them from the wind and rain.

"HUAAGGH" he said, and Conquest laughed as the sword in Sebastian's right hand flew to the side and vanished.

With his one sword, Sebastian charged the madman; with abandon he tried to thrust it through the Homunculus. Conquest grabbed the sword by the blade, and used his sword arm to do the same.

A mana blast by Sebastian was what saved him at the last second. Both parties were thrown from one another, and Sebastian's sword pierced his right arm.

He screamed in agony; unable to get up as a result of being pinned.

"Ooh that must hurt" Conquest walked closer to Sebastian, his screams heard in the stormy night.

"AUUGGH" he cried "OHHAGGGH"

"And this is the end of the last Alchemist" Conquest went for the kill, and Sebastian knew that the others couldn't escape that barrier. So he placed his left hand in front of Conquest's blade.

"EAT THIS" he screamed, and the resulting Mana blast blew Conquest almost apart.

Sebastian ripped the sword out of him, and got up.

"You're incredibly persistent" Conquest said.

Sebastian generated his mana, and clapped his hands in the manner of Alchemists. Electricity arched all over him as a healing magic circle enveloped him.

"Usually my mana interferes with my ability to use my dad's Alchemy" Sebastian said, as his arm healed "But in healing arts, which is Einzbern Alchemy, it's incredibly effective". He projected gauntlets, and zoomed up to the shocked Conquest's face. He punched him in the chest, and ripped his heart out.

In that moment, lightning struck Conquest, and the electricity was kept inside by the tar.

Conquest laughed.

"It looks like I have another chance to kill you" he said, as Sebastian crushed the Philosopher's Stone.

"I will end you" Sebastian screamed.

Conquest gargled, and turned into a literal tar monster…which surprised Sebastian so much that he was hit in the face by such a thing. It charged him as he fell, and stomped on his stomach. Sebastian got up, clutching his stomach, and it charged again.

He dodged, but the monster was relentless. Sebastian barely got away from such a thing, and as a result was unable to hit him in return. The monster roared, and charged him yet again.

"This is nuts" Sebastian said, slipping in the mud "With all the rain, I won't be able to burn this thing"

It charged.

"I guess I have no choice" Sebastian created a shockwave, which threw him back, by charging his mana.

"AAAAAAGGAGAGAGGAGGGGGHHHHHH" he screamed, and electricity arched everywhere.

The monster stopped, as if entranced by his magic.

"THIS IS IT, CONQUEST" Sebastian yelled through the rain and the mana, and the thunder "I'm putting all my energy into this attack" A magic circle, the biggest Sebastian ever saw, was charging the attack.

The beast shook himself, and prepared to charge.

"I don't think that's going to work, but go ahead, flip that coin" Sebastian fired the blast, as the beast charged.

The Black Tar was annihilated; and the last of the Four Horsemen was finally defeated.

" **We may never know what would have happened if the time never came" – Bazett, when talking about the last battle.**

Sebastian walked in tired, and impatient. The Einzbern household was still recovering from the battle, but the weakness curse affecting them seemed to dissipate.

"Where's my mom and dad?" he asked Rin.

"Your parents went upstairs with Miss Einzbern and the girls" she indicated that Kuro and little Illya weren't in the living room.

He ran up the stairs and his mother called his name.

With tears in his eyes, he embraced them both; his mom and dad. He noticed that Irisviel and her daughters were in a corner in the bedroom, quietly watching the tearful reunion.

"Sebastian" his mother said his name.

"Mom is it true…are you dying?" he had to ask.

She held her husband's hand, and nodded.

"We were going to tell you, when she got closer" his dad said "Because we assumed we'd have another decade at least"

"You assumed?" he asked them "What are you dying from?"

"I am a Homunculus, born from my mom and dad-like you were, but born to become a vessel for the ritual of the Holy Grail" she said sadly "But they ended the wars-and my involvement in them, and so I would never be that horrid thing. However, the modifications Grandfather did to me while I was yet in the womb were enough where my degeneration would begin at a faster pace as I aged. As it stands, you will most likely be the longest lasting Homunculus to live"

She held him tight, even as he trembled.

"H-how long?" he croaked.

His parents looked at each other.

"We thought she would be a little over sixty" dad said "But, and this is just a guess, your mother might have a year to live…maybe a bit more"

"N-NO" he cried, and buried his face in her lap "please no…"

"Don't cry" she said "I was prepared for it before, and now that I can see my son alive again, I can go happy"

"It's not fair" he sobbed.

"You'll have your dad" she lifted his face gently "And you'll have your friends"

"I-I can't stay here" he said "I have to return to our time"

"I'm not sure that's possible" dad shook his hand.

"But it is!" Sebastian said "That's how we even got here to begin with"

"I burned your work; to prevent Kimbee from using it again" he replied sadly "It's most likely why the Homunculi started to try to kill you"

Sebastian looked at them.

"What am I supposed to do now?" he asked "I'm not old yet…mom don't go" he cried.

"Look, Sebastian" she said "That's Kuro right there…and I saw Miyu down stairs-I haven't seen them since I was your age" he looked at her, and Kuro.

"And you never had the opportunity to see my mom" she continued "And I'm sure you can see all the different things here, to live in a world that was different than mine…and Ed's" she looked at her husband fondly.

"Whatever Kimbee is up too" his dad said "You need to stop it, because if he obtains that Stone, you will not be able to fix this world from whatever he unleashes to test his new strength"

"I barely defeated Conquest" Sebastian said "How can I stop the Master of such a monster?"

"Because you have the power neither of us have" his mother cradled him gently against her, her white hair tickling his nose "A child of both worlds, so to speak"

"Kimbee's greatest strength is his weakness" his dad said "His love for the flair and the theatre will ultimately be his downfall. If I can help you stop him, then I will-but I'm in the same boat as you" he put his metal arm around his wife "I want to spend every waking moment with my Illya, the same as you"

"I want to get to know you too" little Illya spoke up "It'll be fun, to see myself from the future…I think. And nothing's set in stone, you know. Maybe we'll find a way to save her; I wouldn't mind having a big sister"

"And think about it this way" Kuro inputted "You know you'd miss us if you had left, right?"

"Yes" Sebastian said "You're right of course…and mom's still alive. I aim to keep it that way" he looked at them all, even beaming Irisviel "For this, for you guys-and them" he pointed downward to those on the first floor "I will defeat the Crimson Lotus Alchemist; and stop him from using the Holy Grail"


	13. Chapter 13

By now the time draws near,

That I should summon the Holy Grail,

I have prepared the ritual, and only need the vessels to complete.

My one and only wish is the Philosopher's Stone,

To which I will gladly sacrifice…

The final countdown has begun.

Invert.

I have my friends and family,

Well my new friends anyway,

And for what time I have left,

My mom, and dad, who've done everything for me…

I will be a good son, and cherish my time,

For such I would gladly sacrifice,

My time has almost come.

And in all of this; the fights and the flights

Time itself marches on,

The first tale almost complete, and his wrath has come,

For such does Angra Mainyu live,

Within the womb of the Holy Grail.

But All the World's Evils cannot stop…

There is Fate

And then there's the Alchemist.

 **Chapter 13 (Forty-Eight Hours remain)**

Sebastian woke up early; he was sleeping on the couch after all. The girls all shared a room; and his parents shared a room. With the extra people such as himself and Auguste, it was nigh impossible to have a room to sleep in.

He dressed in his Alchemist's robes, although today he was a Magus (he needed his mana to help recuperate), and he waited to eat breakfast. Truthfully, he needn't worry about food, now that he was told that the perks of being a Homunculus include not needing food and water; but that didn't stop his body from reacting like he did. He was hungry-that he felt for sure.

He spent the time that he was alone reading the Diary; the one from Einzbern castle. It was a very selfish person that had written it, but that person was also the Einzbern master in the third Holy Grail war.

He spoke of his Servant Avenger, and how he hated his 'good for nothing' Servant. The heroic spirit in general was of course the weakest ever summoned…

Angra Mainyu…the name sounded evil. A small part of him felt like he knew that name from somewhere deep down, but he couldn't put his foot on it. The obvious problem with trying to summon something like that is the fact that Angra Mainyu didn't exist, as he was the Persian god of darkness.

Sebastian was surprised anything was summoned at all.

The whole thing was basically a recap of the third war, but from this one man's point of view. Outside of the descriptions on Avenger, it was useless ravings of a madman.

But reading this thing had only convinced him of the need to visit Germany. Supposedly there was much more to be had there, as it was the main residence of the Einzberns, but with the Crimson Lotus Alchemist still at large-Sebastian wanted to take him down.

He closed the book and placed it in his bag. There was movement upstairs and that meant people were awake. These were his friends and family now; even Bazett had become important to Sebastian, and he wanted to protect them from the coming storm. That being said, looking for said storm was a bit difficult.

The past few days had tried and tested Sebastian's limits when it came to physical, mental, and emotional combat. He had experienced four individuals that in reality he should have been killed by. What was a sixteen-year-old to the very powerful Alchemists that were the Four Horsemen? He had fought them, Kuro (which he hoped never wanted to kill him again), Miss Tohsaka and Miss Edelfelt; and even Shirou had him against a fence.

But except for the last day in America, he had never come in contact with Kimblee.

Sebastian assumed he was busy preparing for the ritual (which he had intended on stopping), but he didn't even hear a hello I'm going to kill you all thing…which Sebastian assumed all evil villains did at some point.

Of course he was still technically a child.

"M-morning" Kuro was the first down stairs, and stifled a yawn.

"Hello Kuro" he said, which made her smile a little "You slept well, I trust?"

"Uh huh" her smile became a grin "After yesterday, anyone would've slept like a baby"

He found that grin to be a little mischievous for his own good, and it was about two minutes later that he heard an ear piercing scream.

Sebastian practically ran up the stairs, while Kuro burst out laughing.

Little Illya's face was drawn on with black marker-giving her all sorts of crazy things. She had a mustache, a unibrow, side burns, the words 'dunce cap' written in Kanji, and a drawing of something that looked mysteriously like lips on her left cheek, just below the eyes. Her eyes had tears.

That annoying Code was laughing at her, and it appears as if Rin and Luvia could barely contain themselves with glee.

Of course Bazett and Irisviel ran out dressed in night clothes but expecting a fight. And his parents weren't too far off.

Shirou poked his head out of one of the bedrooms.

"Illya, is something wrong?" he mumbled, obviously having just woke up.

Everyone relaxed after discovering the reason behind the scream, but somehow Shirou was blamed for drawing on Illya's face.

Sebastian knew it was Kuro, of course, but she had hinted at some point before breakfast that if he had said something…she would make him pay.

So of course he could only pity his Uncle.

"Why doesn't anyone believe me" he complained.

"Shut up and keep scrubbing" Sella commanded "You have a lot to make up for; sneaking in the girls room after dark-you should be ashamed"

Miyu, for her part, had suggested that it wasn't Shirou at all, to which Sapphire was in agreeance…but the damage was already done.

"Aww Shirou, it's not that bad" Kuro patted him on the back "I believe you"

"Really?" he asked.

"Yep" she kissed his cheek "But that doesn't mean you can stop cleaning!"

Sebastian resolved to always be careful around Kuro from now on.

" **What was my purpose for living? Why do I suffer?" – Kuro, when asking her mother why she abandoned her.**

"It's worth a shot to go to Germany" his dad said "If we could afford the transportation"

"I can handle that, Mr. Elric" Luvia said smoothly. Sebastian had a sneaking suspicion she developed some sort of crush on his dad, with the extremely polite way she was treating him.

"That is fine" Rin looked oddly at Luvia "But we may need him here in a day. In case you forgot, he almost wiped the floor with us, and he is our age. That fire guy probably can kick our butts without breaking a sweat"

"That is what private jets are for. Oh Auguste" Luvia chimed, and her butler came in a second "Can you arrange a flight to Germany from the nearest airstrip?"

"It will be done, Mistress" he bowed and left.

"Wow, that's real service" little Illya's eyes were wide.

"It comes with being rich" Rin said, a dead frown on her face "And she flaunts it everyday"

"Aww ha ha ha ha" Luvia laughed "I think you're jealous Rin"

"UGGGHH" she seethed.

"Well, whatever the case" Irisviel said in her trademark voice "What exactly do you think you'll find there, Sebastian?"

"Worst case scenario I fight Kimblee right there, in Einzbern Castle. Best case scenario I find my answers, like what about the third Holy Grail war that sets me on edge" Sebastian said.

"What do you mean?" Miyu asked, interested.

"The last war was fought in the 1930s; slightly before World War II" Sebastian said "It was such a failure, it ended up being some goal of the Third Reich-and even the Imperial Army was involved. But there was no reason for it to be so…and something tells me there was more to the story than the original Lesser Grail being destroyed"

"And what does that have to do with defeating Kimblee?" Kuro asked.

"Because even if I beat him, there still is a chance that he succeeds at summoning the Grail itself" Sebastian said "And…while every fiber of my being will try to stop that from happening-in the chance he succeeds, what are the odds of the Grail being corrupted in some way?"

Everyone was dead silent.

"Sebastian" his dad began "Is there evidence to back this up?"

"Something really odd happened in the last war" Sebastian said, holding everyone's gaze "And that something isn't in the Class Cards you showed me, Mom"

His mother stirred, and pulled out all seven, to everyone's exclamations.

"How do you have those?" Bazett asked, ready to spring into action.

"They are what I have left" she said sadly "You may have forgotten this, but some of the events you all have witnesses, specifically the gathering of the cards, are the exact same memories as my own"

"What you have left?" Luvia asked, just as surprised.

"There was an incident" she said "About a year or two after I met my Husband, the Mages Association showed up…Bazett was not one of the enforcers present. They had tried to take the Cards from us, and a man named Kirei Kotomine had almost succeeded at taking all of them. He had in fact only took one of my Archer cards"

"One of them?" Bazett asked.

"That must have been the Eighth Class Card I found" Rin said "The one we discussed yesterday, it's having the effect of draining the Ley Lines"

"Yes, well-I lost everyone to his brutality" his mom clutched them to her chest "My parents, Kuro, and Miyu" she looked at them all "It was to be the last time I lived in Japan. We moved to Germany, where Einzbern Castle was and hid there for some time. That was where Sebastian was born"

How do you recover from such silence? Sebastian never knew about the incident, he just knew it happened…and that it made her real sad.

"So what class is it?" his mother asked at last.

"An unusual class called the Avenger Class" he said.

"That's not a class of servants that I am aware of" Bazett relaxed.

"It was a closely guarded secret, but it's just as well…the Servant summoned was very weak, and died too early" Sebastian said, concerned.

"Who did the summoning?" Irisviel asked.

"An Einzbern Master" Sebastian said.

"Grandfather" Irisviel's countenance darkened.

"What was the Heroic Spirit?" Luvia asked.

"Angra Mainyu, the Persian god of Darkness" Sebastian huffed "I don't understand how they could have summoned something that doesn't exist"

"The Einzberns used the Grail, of course" Kuro said, before anyone could reply "Do you think it odd that our magic is Wish-Granting Magic, considering we were instrumental in creating the Fuyuki Grail?"

"Even so, to change the rules like that" Rin said "Didn't the Church have some say in regulating the wars?"

"Yeah, after the second war" Sebastian said "Keep in mind that established rules were just hearsay, and who better than to come up with a loophole than the creators themselves"

"And you think it was that class of servant that might have corrupted the Grail?" annoying code asked.

"I need to know what I'm dealing with" Sebastian said "That's why this is important-and the trip will only take a day. With that private jet, I'll be back soon"

"That's good" Irisviel said "My husband's going to be back around tomorrow"

"I'll get to see Kiritsugu again" his mom said, happily.

 **Forty Hours until Zero**

Sebastian walked off the plane; and his ride was waiting for him. Germany was beautiful this time of year, with summer already in full bloom.

"Miss Edelfelt sends her regards" he said, and closed the door behind Sebastian.

It was a different experience, being treated like a rich guy. Luvia must be used to it, but Sebastian thought that you'd have to be born rich to really think this lifestyle normal.

As it was, his family was rich and ancient, but not as they are now. His Grandparents weren't too keen on that life, and it was only to Illya's benefit, in Sebastian's opinion.

Despite his landing relatively close to his destination; the Einzberns being who they were…it was impossible to really get there in only an hour.

 **Thirty-Six Hours to Zero**

The driver was spooked, and he would be too. The town was deserted. But Sebastian was just left there, without a ride back. It irked him to no end, but that was spilt milk to what he had to accomplish.

And that was the mysteries of the Grail Wars, and hopefully and end to the ambiguity behind Kimblee's knowledge of the Wars.

Sebastian trudged through the deserted town, and walked into the forest. It wasn't long before he encountered snow…but it was as if the snow was old, almost ice really. At some point he encountered another bounded field, but while it let him pass, there was no way to tell if anyone that was an enemy was present. The field was older, more ancient, and almost faded before Sebastian walked through it.

All he knew was now he was feeding the thing, just like before.

Even so, he moved on, and it was like an unknown force was guiding him to the Castle, because that's where he ended up. The place was much bigger than the Castle in Japan, and that castle was big. This was his family's castle…and it was as unwelcoming as they once were. The estate would have put palaces to shame, however.

Unlike the castle in Japan, this one had the unmistakable air of being abandoned. And that was spooky in of itself…if Kimblee was ever here, he covered his tracks well.

Sebastian opened the door to the scariest sight he had ever seen.

The bodies of Homunculi like himself were everywhere…even after all this time they didn't decompose. They just looked…empty, as if the life had been snuffed out long ago. What really made his eyes water was the fact they were all female, and that likely he was the only male in existence…just as Kimblee said.

Bullet holes in every one of them, and dried blood was everywhere. He saw his mother and his grandmother in every face he came across. And there were a couple that had been gunned unarmed, like they were just in the way.

Sebastian's composure broke when he saw two held in each other's arms…with similar bullet holes. Kimblee didn't do this, he realized; they were dead before this.

But if Grandmother Iri had already known about this, then why did she-

He fell on his knees and cried like he hadn't cried before, clutching himself for there was naught but the dead for company.

He cried for his parents, for his mother, asking why over and over…unknown to the figure silently watching him.

 **Thirty-One Hours until Zero**


	14. Chapter 14

And in all of this; the fights and the flights

Time itself marches on,

The first tale almost complete, and his wrath has come,

For such does Angra Mainyu live,

Within the womb of the Holy Grail.

But All the World's Evils cannot stop…

There is Fate

And then there's the Alchemist.

 **Chapter 14 (Thirty-One hours Remain)**

Sebastian reverently closed each of the eyes; resolving to come back here and bury them someday…should he get out of this situation alive. He had looked for any signs of recent entry as he dried his tears, and wasn't disappointed. It had appeared that several someone's were here recently…so why did they leave all the bodies?

The Castle itself was an ornately decorated palace, as if the Einzberns were more than just mere nobles, but that could have been magic talking. He remembered his mother and father taking refuge here, and concluded that they've had to have gotten rid of the bodies.

Sebastian opened one door to an office of sorts, although everything looked outdated. Knowing his family's history of being technologically inept, this was a shock. Just as he thought…as he touched the equipment he realized there wasn't any power; which was surprising, considering the magical properties behind the castle in Japan had power for lights. There wasn't anything else in this room worth-what is that?

Sebastian moved to the shelves and noticed a book oddly sticking out. He took it out and opened it. It was a journal of sorts, but most of it was damaged without repair. He found a passage that detailed daily life in the castle.

 _It has been almost a year. I have tried to be patient with Jubstacheit, and these cursed tests and such, but he goes too far…he has claimed that she would take her place should we lose. We have already told him we have no intention of losing to another, but he seemed to think that a backup is required. I don't want to lose them both-even if I believe that I deserve neither._

 _If it takes her, and Elder keeps my child anyway…_

 _The child's growth rate has been excelled, and I wonder what effects that'll have in the future._

Sebastian shook himself and read the next entry.

 _She's nervous about the delivery. I wanted to be there so much, but she almost begged me to be elsewhere. She didn't want me to see her pain, even though I'll know it anyway. I love her too much to deny her this, but I will see our child the moment they come and tell me._

 _I often wondered why I even keep writing in this thing, but I need something of a record in case…_

 _End of log._

So far there was nothing indicating why this bloodbath occurred, but nonetheless Sebastian was intrigued. So he sought the next readable entry.

 _Damn the storm…and that Alchemical fool's control of it. The screams, they make me want so much to run to her, I can't help it. I thought I destroyed my emotions in my relentless quest to save the world, but she made me weak, I don't even know if I can go on with the war…but I can't give in, not when she's so dead set on it._

 _Either way, my child will be in my arms soon, and I know I'll have two lives in my heart instead of one._

 _I'm burning this thing next week._

"That was obviously not the case" Sebastian chuckled, but most of the rest was just as unreadable, as if someone deliberately blotted the words out.

 _He hid this from me, I can't believe it, and I almost sacrificed my wife to the slaughter in this matter. It's corrupt; as his own handling in the last one ruined much of the greater Grail._

 _Why did he think summoning the god of Darkness was a good idea? That bastard probably doesn't care for the rest of the world, but I haven't lost my dream. I will tell my wife, my love, my flower…I will tell her of his treachery, and I'll get Maiya to make the preparations. Hopefully with help, I may be able to save a few who truly believe what I'm about to tell them._

 _Because no matter what I do, any wish brought to the corrupted Grail-it will destroy everything!_

 _I can't compete against All the World's Evils-_

 _End of Log._

So that was it, then. Sebastian's hunch was a correct one; as a lot more is on the line, should Kimblee summon the Grail.

That confrontation scared him. Why should the fate of the world rest within the outcome of this battle? Sebastian stashed the ruined book within his pack, and headed out of the office. There were other places to check after all.

 **Twenty-Eight Hours to Zero.**

This place was the warmest part of the castle-metaphorically speaking. It had to be where his mother spent her earliest years. A crib was set up next to the bed, and various possessions were just strewn all over the place, probably in haste to get out. The fact that only two Homunculi, outside of Grandmother and his mom survived the escape was probably due to their closeness to his family, and more than likely why they are family to him.

That all being said, the willingness of them to go through the Grail war was something Sebastian couldn't understand, even if it made the escape that much more reasonable.

He shook his head.

There was nothing here indicating an importance to Sebastian, and so he turned to leave.

She was quiet, that was his first thought.

"He said you'd come" she cocked her head.

Sebastian studied her…she looked like an Einzbern Homunculus-but her hair was black like the Homunculi from his dad's world. Her red eyes conveyed curiosity, and something else.

"Are you here to kill me?" he asked her.

"If I was, do you think I'd tell you?" she asked.

"You aren't human, you can't be" he responded with his thoughts.

"My, quite a jump in conversation, eh-brother" she made no movement, but it was as if all the warmth in this cold castle fled from before her gaze.

"What did you call me?" he asked, tensed, and weirded out.

"I don't think it matters" she said noncommittedly "I was only here to meet you, after all"

"So what does that mean?" he was concerned about who and what she was.

"What I said it means. You aren't very bright, are you?" she sighed "And _he_ told me you invented teleportation"

Sebastian's only response was to drop his jaws in surprise.

 **Twenty-Seven Hours to Zero**

Sebastian was pushed back by her force of wind-indeed she was a Homunculus from the Gate; that was why she was a master Alchemist.

"You try to attack me, and all I've done was talk to you" she smiled faintly "But a little sibling rivalry won't kill you, I think"

She projected a Japanese sword-Sebastian definitely felt mana from her-but she shouldn't be able to control both effectively at once.

"So do you want to attack me, or should we keep talking?" she asked.

"You have been alluding to our relation, but I have no sister" Sebastian said.

"You-you would have been right, a week ago" she said "Not long after your arrival, the town closest to here was murdered, and the resulting stone was used to create me"

Sebastian's breath caught in his throat.

"Of course the Crimson Lotus declared me a failure, as I'm too much like our dear mother and father to be any use to the Horsemen" her smile was contemptuous, as if it was somehow-

"You can't be-that-that's impossible" he declared.

"Yet it's the truth as I have always known it" she swung her sword "You ready for this fight, or should we do something else?"

"Are you my enemy?" he asked.

"I am what I want to be" she said "And if that happens to be your enemy, then that's what I am"

Sebastian looked at her, bracingly.

"For now, I want to talk" he said.

"That's better" she said "Of a truth, I am only here to meet you-whatever happens afterwards is entirely up to you"

She clapped her hands, and the room became lit and warm. She projected a table and some chairs.

"Please sit" she said.

And Sebastian sat down, studying her for any signs she was lying about herself. Truthfully she looked a lot like mom, but then again, his mother was an Einzbern Homunculus-the differences only varied so much.

Her black hair and red eyes contrasted anything he had encountered thus far in both variations of Homunculi, but were also so close to them-it was like they were blended together to create something unique, instead of a hybrid.

"If you're going to talk, then talk; your staring is a bit strange" she said.

"How were you created?" he asked.

"Hmm, isn't that like asking you were born?" she asked, almost mocking "You were created in love; and my parents don't even know I exist, in fact Mom is pregnant with a child of her own"

That was news to Sebastian; he thought they'd have said something given her shortened lifespan, unless she didn't know she…was.

"Did Kimblee ever discuss how you were created?" he asked her.

"The only things he talked about were his wish of possessing the Philosopher's Stone, and my failure as an experiment. Needless to say, you were brought up several times in both regards" she smiled cynically "Of course, by the end of it, he sought my destruction. Not much of a father figure, considering my one week of existence was based on that whole thing"

Sebastian immediately thought what the reason was; Conquest's takeover of his parents probably was what ended up being the whistle blower, and most likely his parents didn't know about the pregnancy. It was the only thing that made sense, as there should have been an inquiry about it after he saved them. No one checked anything out of the ordinary.

"What, you have no more questions?" she cocked her head "That was fast"

"It doesn't add up" he said "You look like an adult; you can't be only a week old"

"Says who?" she said "Did you not once take a good look at the dead Homunculi that litter the castle? All of them were created in test tubes, save our dear mother, and yourself"

"You were a test tube creation as well?" Sebastian countered "If you're telling the truth, there's a much greater chance that you were originally conceived, but seeing you completely grown, that seems to be contradictory"

"And why would that be the case?" she asked.

"As it happens, I read a bit about Homunculus creation" Sebastian said "The inclusion of human DNA could only conceivably be possible if the cells first were in the people involved. The incubatory phase otherwise would be too long, and you would definitely not be looking like a grown woman. Actually, you shouldn't be looking like that anyway"

"You forget that I was born with the Stone already inside me" she said.

"Yes, but you should be a baby still, or at least look like a child" Sebastian countered.

"Not if my mother's magic circuits were duplicated; the addition to them would have forced my growth to equal that of mother's growth…or in layman's terms become an adult" She replied.

Sebastian almost forgot about that, he was so focused on trying to catch her in a lie.

"So you really aren't lying?" he asked.

"What possible reason might I have for lying to you?" she argued "It's not like you're ever going to see me again"

"Why not?" he was puzzled.

"Because I only wanted to meet you, I don't care much for companionship-and it would complicate things to a whole new degree for me to suddenly become a part of your life" she got up "It's enough that I got to meet my brother. Besides, you need to return to Fuyuki, right?"

"I was here for answers" he said "Answers about Kimblee and the Holy Grail"

"Kimblee has to be stopped and the Holy Grail is corrupt. I think that about sums up your journey here" she said, and smiled.

"You know about the Grail's corruption?" he asked her.

"Kimblee mentioned it" she said "The Grail was the one to contact him, when he first went through the Gate"

"All the World's Evils" Sebastian muttered.

"Whatever it is, it can't be allowed to be freed from the Grail" she told him.

"How long ago did he leave?" Sebastian asked.

"He left for Fuyuki when you ended Conquest's existence" she got up "We may never see each other again…so" She held out her hand, and he shook it.

"What's your name?" he enquired as she walked away.

"I was never given one" she called back "If we meet again, why don't you give me one"

"Wait!" he called after her "The big bridge in Fuyuki-meet me there in a week! Wait!"

But she was gone.

And things weren't already complicated enough.

Sebastian didn't know what to think of her, Kimblee, or even Angra Mainyu. This whole trying to figure his enemy out had him running in circles; and this trip only served as a confirmation of what he had already figured out. He still had a huge portion of the castle to explore, but he needed to weigh how much more time he should waste on this when Kimblee was in Fuyuki, or will be anyway.

He decided to continue for a few more hours.

Sebastian opened a door to a big 'apartment' of the Castle-the master suit as it's called. Immediately he regretted such an action, as a metal lock trapped him in the room. There was an out of place TV, connected to a bunch of wires. It turned on.

"Hello there, Sebastian" the image said.

It was a trap…set by Solf himself.

"You're not going to talk?" he said "It's not like it matters, I am a prerecorded message after all"

"Damn you" Sebastian said.

"Somehow I knew you would show up here, just as I knew you would meet your sister" he laughed "I'm sure she knew about this trap and neglected to tell you-such a shame"

Sebastian waited for the message to continue.

"I assume that by you watching this message, you won't be in Fuyuki for a while, and that by the time you watch this…I would already be ready to summon the Grail"

He laughed.

"I'm not bragging for no reason, you know. There is a rhyme to every plan-and we all know how I like a big bang"

An explosion occurred, and the floor Sebastian stood on started shaking.

"If only I got to see your face, well goodbye now…I have business to attend to" he smiled "Run little Alchemist, run, run, run-ha ha ha ha ah ah aha hah haha"

An explosion took out the ceiling, and the floor was caving in.

"Run, run, run ha ha ha ha ha ha ah ha" the loudspeaker chanted.

Sebastian used magecraft to get to the upper floor as the place started collapsing systematically. He ran through hallway after hallway; explosions resounded everywhere, seemingly destroying the castle. He dodged a falling pillar, only to be thrown sideways with another explosion.

"Ha ha h ah ahhha hah ha ha"

The roof was falling, and he had to jump holes in the floor. When the hallway he was now in started to buckle, he jumped into the floor below. Masonry and other such things were falling now, as more explosions were activated probably by a system or a timer that was activated when he entered that suite.

"Run, run, run little Alchemist"

A marble column hit the floor, and a receding floorboard jumped him to a bedroom that was sinking. He followed the sinking room into the next landing, and ran down the hall as even more explosions were heard.

It was like the place was set for demolition, more or less to destroy any evidence of what he had already found…the assistance of the god of Darkness to Kimblee.

Sebastian narrowly avoided a flying bed, and the floor around him collapsed.

"Ha ha ha ha a ha ha ha"

"I wish he would shut up!" Sebastian dodged falling masonry and bodies, as he was now in areas where the dead Homunculi laid.

An explosion happened below him, and he found himself on the upper floor-he didn't know which.

"Running won't save you know Elric" the voice taunted "Better to die now, than later"

A massive collapse of the floors above had Sebastian running for his life, even as he lost his footing and tumbled down some stairs.

"This is insane" he yelled, and another explosion was heard "How the hell did he have time to set this up?"

He was almost crushed by a statue of a woman…three guesses as to who that was. Sebastian looked out the window; he was on the third floor-he broke the glass and jumped as another explosion happened just to his side.

He fell in the snow; glad he was out of the building, but rocks were falling everywhere. He had just enough time to think about death when he lost consciousness.

 **24 hours to Zero**


	15. Chapter 15

The first tale almost complete, and his wrath has come,

For such does Angra Mainyu live,

Within the womb of the Holy Grail.

But All the World's Evils cannot stop…

There is Fate

And then there's the Alchemist.

 **Chapter 15 (Twenty-Four hours Remain)**

" _Wake up, you must wake up" a voice said, tensed, and in pain._

" _I can't move" Sebastian said, and what a truth it was-he couldn't even see._

" _You possess a will far greater than most, this I know my love" the voice replied "Now hurry, you must wake"_

" _It won't matter" he said "I'm too far away now, Kimblee's won"_

" _And you're okay with that?" she sounded angry but still tensed, and Sebastian realized it was a woman "The man I know would never back away from those like him"_

" _Then you don't know me as well as you think you do" Sebastian said "Considering I don't know you at all"_

 _Silence…then an even greater urgency._

" _If you don't at least try then I'll die" she said "You must care, I know you do"_

" _I care…but what good has that done for me?" he replied, pained "Everyone I know will die, if they haven't already, and I-I…" he stopped._

" _He's going to be delayed; she'll make sure of that-but please-there's not much time left"_

" _Who's going to make sure of that?" he asked._

" _Lord Justeaze!" she said "Have you forgotten that much?"_

" _No" he said "I haven't"_

" _I don't want the man I'm going to spend the rest of my life with chickening out now. So if you please, Sebastian Elric, get up now!"_

Sebastian bolted up…it was cold, and snowing. He shivered, and brushed the snow off himself.

The castle was gone, replaced with rubble and a collapsing barrier, which he had a feeling that it was warmer on the other side. The sun was out, but it was early-which meant that he best get back. That weird dream he had told him Kimblee was delayed, but he had no way of knowing by how much. There was a lot of ground to cover; he was still in Germany after all.

Sebastian walked through the forest, following the beaten path until he came upon a mound of sorts. He felt sick to his stomach.

There were bodies everywhere; and all piled up to. Homunculi that had expired long before the castle's purge just thrown out here like this. It wasn't fair.

Sebastian summoned a magic circle and vaporized the mound of bodies-his anger quickly replaced his sorrow at the audacity of his forebears and their disregard…

He shook himself; it was time to get moving.

Outside of the receding barrier, which no longer ate up his mana, he immediately felt twenty degrees warmer. That was a relief, and allowed him the opportunity to leave this cursed place faster.

He needed a faster exit, and found an abandoned car in the dead village.

Sebastian didn't know how to drive exactly, and his mother always drove recklessly for whatever reason. His skills would have to be enough, however.

 **Twenty Hours until Zero**

He had gone the wrong way, and he was paying for it now. German police were trying desperately to run him off the road, as he didn't want to have to be pulled over for reckless driving-and he didn't want to explain to Luvia that he had gotten arrested for not being an authorized driver in a legal vehicle.

"Ziehen Sie das verdammte Auto jetzt vorbei!" one officer yelled from a mega phone.

"Jeeze, now they're swearing at me" Sebastian pushed the petal a little more.

"Ich wiederhole, ziehen vorbei und jetzt aus dem Fahrzeug zu bekommen!" the same guy yelled over the sirens.

"Did these guys understand that I'm not pulling over" Sebastian made a hard left and sighed.

He'd have to ditch the car, which meant using his magic. The problem was he wasn't a magical girl with wings-not that he'd ever be caught dead in that getup anyway, the fact remained that he couldn't fly like little Illya.

They were driving next to a patch of woods; and Sebastian ran off the road and drove into the trees. That'll slow the cops down a little.

He ditched the car, and began an assent to the top of the woods.

There was a city in the distance, which hopefully had an airport. He'd have to find a way back to Japan, one way or another.

Using his barrier circle as a platform, he summoned mini sized magic circles, and fired. He propelled himself to the city, hoping for the best.

 **Seventeen Hours until Zero**

This was harder than he ever thought possible. Sebastian had some money to be sure; but customs office was on the other side of all these checkpoints and no one was allowing him to exchange his money.

Which was odd, considering the expenses allowed for flights and the like, you'd think they'd want the money. There was an added problem as well. He had followers, and he was sure those followers weren't friendly.

"What do you want?" he asked suddenly, and the stalkers looked at one another before assaulting him.

Sebastian threw one into an empty table (somehow the coffee shop they were in was deserted) and was about to take out the other when he shot electricity at him.

"Magic" he said. Sebastian jumped back and summoned two small Magic Circles from his palms and held them up to both men.

"We don't need to act hostile, do we?" another man showed up.

"What do you all want from me?" he hadn't let go of his magic circles.

"I'm looking to talk to you actually, Mr. Einzbern" the man with blue hair smiled and indicated a seat.

Sebastian sat down, but only because his curiosity was tapped.

"You have five minutes" Sebastian said "And it's Elric, not Einzbern"

"Of course, you're right" he smiled coldly "And five minutes is more than enough"

"Then get to it" Sebastian said, his arms crossed.

"I'm from a huge clan within the Magic association, and I noticed the Einzberns had refused to join. A legendary family would be an interesting addition to the Associations ranks, you know" the man said.

"You work for the Association?" Sebastian asked.

"In a manner of speaking, I actually want to recruit you to become a member of my clan" he said "You see, I aim to change the Association and its corrupt way of doing things. Someone with your magical talent would be a benchmark to success. You look like the kind of person that would move past all that political tripe to achieve your goals, and I am otherwise stonewalled from really being the change it needs"

Another words, from what he's saying; he wants a puppet to move forward, as he likely isn't regarded enough to really get what he wants. And he hasn't exactly told Sebastian what change he's looking for.

"What's your name?" he asked "You seem to know a bit about me, but I am at a loss as to what you are called"

"My apologies; I am Darnic, Darnic Prestone Yggdmillennia" he said apologetically.

All the hairs stood up on his back; but he hoped his face didn't change that much. The man had to be lying, as he lived during the time of Earth's Second World War. Or maybe he was a descendant, but even if that was the case, and with him knowing who Sebastian belonged to-this was no accident. He knows about the Holy Grail, hands down.

"Nice to meet you" he tried for being contemptuous.

"Yes, well-you don't have to think about my offer now" the man stood up suddenly and handed him a card "Burn this if you wish to join us, and I'll know to send someone for you"

"What do you plan to change in the Association?" he asked Yggdmillennia.

The man smiled a malicious smile.

"Everything, Mr. 'Elric', I plan on changing everything" he walked away.

This whole meeting was foreboding in every way-in fact this whole trip was one nightmare or question after another. He had hoped to get some solid answers at Einzbern Castle; but Kimblee's bombs and meeting his sister had pushed that right out the door of his mind. The fact that one thousand years of study and accumulation was destroyed (except for a small room in the Fuyuki castle), to probably cover a lot of stuff from being brought to the surface was unnerving, and most likely on the eve of his fight with Kimblee he meets someone who should already be dead…

Then there was this stupid city and their stupid airport.

He didn't have any money (Five Million or more yen wasn't worth anything unless you exchange it), or a way of contacting Luvia, nor did he have a plan that seemed to work.

If he knew enough about spatial transference, he could have set something up with Luvia, but as it was-

Hindsight was always 20/20.

He walked out of the coffee shop and saw someone so familiar that it almost paralyzed him. The man from the photo; the man whom his mother had referenced in their last meeting: Kiritsugu.

The man checked his watch, and moved to enter the checkpoint.

Sebastian ran towards him, almost pushing people out of the way. He was almost through, and if he made it then Sebastian would have to find another way home.

Somehow he counted on his family ties, even though the man never met him.

Right at the Checkpoint…

"Kiritsugu!" he yelled.

The man turned, his expressionless face fixed on Sebastian and turned to surprise. But he was ushered through by the security guard who had to keep the line moving.

Sebastian looked forlornly as Kiritsugu disappeared in the crowd, and turned to go-his mind racing for ideas. He was about to try again with the ticket booth when something was pushed in his back. It felt like a gun.

"You will do as I say, or there will be another body to clean up" a voice said in Japanese "If you can understand me then nod"

Sebastian nodded.

"Good. I have a ticket here, but it's addressed to me. Get through that checkpoint-without alerting the guards, and meet me near the next checkpoint at Gate 56" he said and handed him a ticket "I will be following you, so don't try anything"

Sebastian did as instructed and moved through the checkpoint. He looked for the Gate and sat on a bench, ready to attack whoever that was. He looked at the ticket, and saw Kiritsugu Emiya typed cleanly on it.

What had he gotten himself into now?

 **Sixteen Hours until Zero**

"There aren't too many people who could call me by my first name like that out of the blue" the man lit a Cigarette "I usually tend to kill them all, since most looking for me are a threat to me or my family" he looked at Sebastian "You'd probably be dead if you were a threat, but something tells me you're much more than that. Now tell me why you look like my daughter Illya. I have a plane to catch in ten minutes, so make it fast"

Sebastian huffed.

"You are the Mage killer, responsible for all those deaths at Einzbern Castle, weren't you?" he asked him.

"I take it that since you know about it, that you're here to try to kill me?" he countered.

"No, actually the opposite" Sebastian said "You won't believe me until you call your wife, but I'm actually from the future"

"You're right, I don't believe you-but if that load of garbage was all you had to try to convince me, then you are a very sorry individual indeed" he puffed "So let's try this again, shall we?"

Sebastian knew what could convince him, and that was his Magic Crest, of which ordinarily there would only be one in existence. But it isn't hard to put two and two together; if this was truly Grandmother's husband, then he would understand Magic Crests, and would have no choice but to believe him.

"You have a Magic Crest somewhere on your body; which is missing a huge portion as a result of…well your dad was somewhat of an evil man or something" Sebastian said "And I have the same Crest"

That gave Kiritsugu pause.

"Show me" he said.

Sebastian removed his Alchemist's robe, and showed him the spot on his back that his mother placed the crest at.

There was a gasp.

"Only one could have received my Crest" he said "Because they only work on a blood relative"

"My Mother passed it onto me a few years ago" Sebastian said "And that would be about Thirty some odd years in the future"

"Then your mother is-" he couldn't finish.

"You would be correct" Sebastian said, putting his robes back on "And I need your help"

"What do you need" he said at once.

"I have more than enough money for a ticket, but it's in Yen, and this place won't help me…something about needing to be at customs which is on the other side of this place" He told him "There is a good chance our family is or will be in trouble by a very powerful Alchemist from another world. It's a lot to take in, but I assure you I'm telling the truth"

"Somehow I believe you; it's in the nature of Magic Crests to only be on one person at a time. That is a magical rule that cannot be broken" Kiritsugu said "You need to be in Fuyuki, then?"

"Yes I do" he replied "And I was wondering if I could get you to buy a ticket"

"Please begin boarding now! We have five minutes to take off" the announcer said.

"You see that plane out there" Kiritsugu pointed "That's my plane, and it'll take us to Russia-I was going home but someone caught my attention at the last minute. I need you to stow away on the cargo hold; anything else may take another day to prepare, airports being what they are"

"Who is this person?" Sebastian asked.

"I'll fill you in on the relevant details when we land" Kiritsugu replied "You do not have much time"

 **Ten Hours until Zero**

"Siberia!" Sebastian yelled over this wind "You didn't tell me we'd be in Siberia!"

"My target's Viktor Makiri; last of the Makiri bloodline-they deal in Crest worms and special summoning" Kiritsugu said "The Association has placed a Sealing Designation on this man; as his work has been deemed to important, but he needs to die before they reach him"

"Why?" Sebastian asked.

"For the same reason that most of the Einzberns died, and many others as well" Kiritsugu said "He wants to restart the Grail Wars and saving the world from that desolate end is my main objective"

A man not unlike Solf Kimblee, then.

"What do you need me to do?" Sebastian asked.

"He's going to summon something big" Kiritsugu said "I'll need you to deal with his summons, while I take him out" he looked at Sebastian "You do know how to use magic right?"

"Yes" Sebastian nodded "I am considered an excellent Magus"

"Good" Kiritsugu said, then picked up a handheld transceiver "Are we set to go?"

"Yes" came the garbled reply. It was female.

"See the kid next to me?" he continued.

"Yes" again the reply was garbled.

"He's my grandson, so don't shoot him, I have him taking out any summons this guy does" he said.

"Understood, I'll focus on the target then" the reply was brief, without emotion.

"She's my assistant" he told Sebastian "Her name is Maiya, and that's all you need to know. Don't engage her in anything unimportant-she'll generally ignore any small talk at any rate"

"Okay, then" Sebastian said "So where are we?"

"The Makiri's old estate-they fled Russia a couple of centuries ago; most of the family became the Matous. I'm sure you've heard of them" He lit a cigarette.

"They participated in the Holy Grail wars" Sebastian said.

"You're right; but he apparently got wind that the Greater Grail may still exist" Kiritsugu puffed "Each of the founding families had an idea that they came together to create the Grail with-with each a similar goal in mind. Do you know what that is?"

"Akasha" Sebastian said "But I don't know what that means"

"Transcendence" Kiritsugu said "To ascend to another plain of existence; most others agree that happens by reaching the 'Root', or the end of existence itself"

"But…why?" Sebastian asked.

"You ever heard about fallen angels and the like?" Kiritsugu asked "Or even events in history like the Tower of Babel?"

"I briefly brushed against such things" Sebastian said.

"Mankind has always had a fascination with the heavens and reaching such a place as to where God dwells" Kiritsugu said "These Magi are no different; indeed it is the dream of everyone in that Association to reach that level in knowledge and life. But the creators of the Grail had hoped for a miracle, in the absence of physical progress to achieving the goal-they thought the finite mind of humanity could never get to the root, and thus went for a paranormal result instead"

"The Grail hadn't delivered their goals" Sebastian said "Except for the very first summoning; the Greater Grail had never been summoned"

"No, perhaps not" Kiritsugu said "But why do you think that is?"

"Man's inability to work together for the greater good?" Sebastian asked.

"You've got the concept" Kiritsugu replied "But it's much simpler than that"

"The Grail could only grant one wish at a time" Sebastian said "And the difference between the wars was simply too great for them to really share"

"That's definitely a part of it" Kiritsugu agreed "It is man's imperfect, finite mind that keeps the wars from really being completed. But after the third war, the grail was tainted with an evil so great, and I believed that evil would be released at the next war's conclusion"

"So what you're now saying is…" Sebastian said

"It wants to be summoned" Kiritsugu said "And my wife and daughter are 'vessels' to such a thing. So we decided to work towards the goal of eliminating the Grail's knowledge from the Association and from being reacquired by those wanting to begin the next war"

"And this guy won't give it up" Sebastian said.

"I don't think he even cares for the Grail; it's the thought of hurting me that he's after" Kiritsugu put out his cigarette "And that is a long story"

The transceiver emitted static.

"He's on the move. Should I take the shot?" the garbled message rang through.

"No, but keep him in your sights" Kiritsugu moved to intercept "I don't want you giving away your position until he's occupied with me. Update me on his summons"

"Understood" the garbled voice said.

Sebastian followed Kiritsugu to wherever he was going to reach the guy, and hoped that he'd get back to Fuyuki in time.

 **Eight Hours until Zero**


	16. Chapter 16

The first tale almost complete, and his wrath has come,

For such does Angra Mainyu live,

Within the womb of the Holy Grail.

But All the World's Evils cannot stop…

There is Fate

And then there's the Alchemist.

 **Chapter 16 (Eight hours Remain)**

Kiritsugu immediately attacked the target; and said target shot black balls reminiscent of Gandr at him in return. Sebastian admired the fact that the Mage Killer faced Magi like him head on with naught but weapons of steel and his own cunning.

"Ready yourself" he told Sebastian "The monster comes"

Viktor, for his part, fought with only a set mind of destroying his grandfather-and produced a Magic Circle as he fought. The thing that appeared had startled Sebastian because it had the naked torso of a woman, and the lower body was that of a big cat. He knew immediately what that was.

"No way" he said "A real Sphinx"

"Stay focused" Kiritsugu said, as he battled with Makiri "He chose that monster for a reason"

The sphinx brushed away her hair, and peered at Sebastian.

"I was summoned for this" she said, shaking her head, and Sebastian was surprised with the perfect way she spoke Japanese.

"Well 'this' is fighting you" Sebastian said "So I'd get ready if I were you"

"My fool master doesn't know this, but despite my bulk and prowess, I am bound by the rules of my creation" she said "Before I fight you, I must ask you a riddle. Should you succeed in answering the riddle; I will be commanded by you. Should you fail, only one of us will leave this place alive"

Her tail twitched.

"So go on with the riddle already" Sebastian said.

"When my first is a task to a young girl of spirit, and my second confines her to finish the piece, how hard is her fate! But how great is her merit if by taking my whole she affects her release!" the Sphinx asked.

An explosion resounded, and an avalanche began its descent.

"Maiya! Get out of there now!" Kiritsugu said "Don't get stuck in the collapse"

Sebastian was distracted by the commotion.

"What is it, human?" the Sphinx asked.

"I think the riddle is implying that she died" Sebastian said "But by ingestion of some sort, which means she had to have poisoned herself"

The Snow was getting closer, and the fight between Kiritsugu and the Magus Makiri was intensified by the coming Avalanche.

"I require an answer!" she yelled.

"She was poisoned!" Sebastian yelled "She was poisoned by something!"

"Your answer is wrong!" the Sphinx screamed, and lunged at Sebastian "The Answer is Hem-Lock!"

Sebastian activated a Magic Circle and shot pure mana at the beast, which didn't seem hurt by it-but nonetheless angered at his attack.

At present the Avalanche should take out the Sphinx, but Sebastian knew this was a mythical beast, so it could possibly survive a disaster like that unharmed.

"I will live forever!" Makiri said in accented English "Shame your line will end for my fortune"

Kiritsugu ignored his words and the impending Avalanche, instead opting for a battle to the death.

"AHHHGH" The Sphinx yelled, and lunged at Sebastian, who projected swords in exchange. She pranced and danced like the lion she was, and he was powerless to confine her to the ground. Sebastian abandoned that tactic.

He 'switched', which ended up surprising Kiritsugu and Makiri.

Sebastian clapped his hands and formed ice darts with which to throw at the Sphinx. And bingo! He managed to hit her paw, which forced her on the ground.

He trapped her paws in rock, and bounced Kiritsugu and Makiri on a rock platform, just as the Avalanche hit them.

Sebastian used the air and formed a sort of barrier around himself, but ironically it was the Sphinx that saved his life. Holding on her hair for dear life, he slowly climbed her head, whilst she tried to buck him off.

"You are clever human, to live this long, but I will devour you alive" she spat, as the snow rolled down around them.

The two Magi weren't sitting idle, however. Sebastian saw them duke it out, in a one on one brawl, atop his platform. He was surprised to see Kiritsugu keep his cool throughout the whole situation. Viktor clipped him in the chin, which made him lose his balance. At this point, Sebastian was on the Sphinx's back, and he let the trapped rocks beneath him anchoring the beast to break free.

Makiri was again surprised by his actions, and this allowed Kiritsugu to regain his balance. Makiri decided the match was over, however, and jumped on the beast before Kiritsugu could continue the fight.

"Dasvidaniya, bastard" Makiri said, and turned to Sebastian "You almost made me die twice, Sukin syn"

"I don't speak Russian" Sebastian 'switched'.

"It means child of the dogs" Makiri laughed.

And with that, both Sebastian and Viktor began to fight.

Sebastian tried for an immobilization spell, which missed; and Viktor countered with his variation of Gandr.

"Shooting curses at me won't save you" Sebastian confirmed.

"Then how about this!" Makiri managed a spell that allowed him to throw blocks of air at Sebastian.

"Alchemy can't save you now!" He screamed, and Sebastian was thrown off.

Kiritsugu caught him, however. He was on the now broken platform, and a woman was with him. He guessed she was Maiya.

"Y-You!" Viktor yelled, and was shot in the head. The Sphinx screamed, and lunged at them.

"Isn't this thing supposed to disappear?" Sebastian asked.

"In three days" Kiritsugu said, and fired at it "Or when its mana runs out"

More screams and growls, and more gun shots.

"Damn, regular shots aren't working" he said, and took out a special gun "I'll need to use origin rounds"

"What are-?" Sebastian was stopped by Maiya, who shook her head.

"You can do barrier magic, right?" Kiritsugu asked.

"Yes, but why?" Sebastian replied.

"We're heading for that pile of snow"

Sebastian looked, and saw that they were indeed nearing the end.

The Sphinx tried once more to kill them, and Kiritsugu fired his gun just as they hit the pile of snow.

Sebastian made a barrier; holding back the snow that was piling on top, as the Sphinx slowly died.

"Kiritsugu, we'll be buried anyway" Maiya said "We should attempt escape now"

"Not yet" He replied "I'm going to reinforce the snow first"

And that is what he did.

"You can stop the barrier now" Kiritsugu said, when he finished.

"Oh, I see" Maiya said emotionlessly "You are planning on climbing up the dome to the surface"

"Normally that would be the case" Kiritsugu replied without emotion, his stoic face looked creepy in the flashlight beam "However, if Sebastian can do what he did in that fight, then it would be as easy as walking through a door"

He looked at Sebastian, who shrugged and nodded.

Sebastian 'switched' and elevated them up to the makeshift dome of snow. Kiritsugu wasted no time, and broke a path through the snow.

"How far back are we from the airstrip?" Kiritsugu asked her.

"A few miles, possible ETA two hours" she responded.

"Then let's get to that plane; and along the way, you can fill me in on all the details" he told Sebastian "This Alchemist you mentioned from another world; I want to know everything you know"

 **Five Hours until Zero**

Sebastian realized quite quickly that his discipline for staying awake was self-taught, and that it was rapidly fading. He tried not to zone out when they entered the plane, but the warmth and the soft emotionless voices helped lull him to sleep.

"Sebastian" Kiritsugu said.

"Sorry" Sebastian snapped awake "I've just been up for almost two days…not used to it yet"

"A trait you apparently share with Illya" he said, faintly amused, and walked out of the small cabin, and into the cockpit "Can we land near Fuyuki?" he asked Maiya.

"The Airport is currently occupied" she said "And I can't seem to hail the airstrip in Fuyuki at all"

"Hmm. That's unusual" Kiritsugu said "Keep trying, and if you can't get anyone, come get me"

Kiritsugu walked back to Sebastian, who was rummaging through his back pack. He went to the very small galley, and made coffee for them to drink.

"I know what it feels like to not have any sleep, but I need to know what we're dealing with" he said, gently.

Sebastian dropped the Diary in his lap and closed the beaten bag. Kiritsugu seemed to recognize it, but masked his face quite quickly on the matter. He took the Coffee his Grandfather offered and drank it, despite his dislike of the stuff.

Sebastian sighed and looked at Kiritsugu.

"Normally I would tell you everything; but in this case, I will give you the quickest rundown I can manage" he said, to which Kiritsugu nodded "Illya-that is Mom, in my timelines past had met and fell in love with a person from another world. He and our enemy went through what is known in the Alchemical world as the Gate. None of that is important except this: my Dad had defeated a host of very evil creations called Homunculi, and their master as well"

Kiritsugu's eyes flashed angrily at the Homunculus comment, but let it go.

"Don't worry, these things aren't Einzbern in design, they were created by necromantic transmutation" Sebastian huffed "To continue; my father had left his world accidentally, and the enemy in question, whose name is Solf Kimblee, followed my dad with two purposes: revenge and his original goal of obtaining a Philosopher's Stone"

Kiritsugu leaned forward.

"Did he succeed in this goal?" he asked softly.

"That is what brings me to the next topic" Sebastian said "Anyway, events happened that resulted in my being here; in the past. Your daughter, her friends, and a few other people…which includes Grandmother Iri, helped me in keeping things relatively normal-but for a few discrepancies. Solf Kimblee intends on summoning the Holy Grail"

Kiritsugu's demeanor changed to his icy emotionless state.

"He intends…" he said at last.

"The Law of equivalent exchange is what hinders Alchemists from forging a Stone" Sebastian said "And he believes a miracle will trump the law"

"And he is nothing less than a fool" Kiritsugu said "Mana may supply the Grail, but essentially Equivalent Exchange still exists-his wish will bring about the downfall of the world and that is something I cannot allow"

"I know" Sebastian said "Your Diary confirmed it for me; I found it at the Castle, which was why I was in Germany"

"So you've been to the castle" Kiritsugu said "I knew that the moment you took that book out"

"Solf destroyed it" Sebastian said "Demolished it with explosives"

"About this Solf" Kiritsugu said, lighting a cigarette "What do you know about him?"

"He is a very powerful Alchemist, who specializes in explosions" Sebastian said "He was a Major of the Amestrian State Military; known to me, and my dad-and those from Amestris-as the Crimson Lotus Alchemist"

"Ex-Military, explosive background, and can use magecraft" Kiritsugu said.

"Not Magecraft, at least not exactly" Sebastian said.

Kiritsugu indicated that he should continue.

"The version of Alchemy that I can use has little to do with magic and a lot to do with science and equivalent exchange. Unlike magecraft Alchemy, this is combative in nature, using whatever is available as components and catalysts to obtain a particular result" Sebastian said "I don't think its teachable, because Mom was unable to use it herself, and Dad had tried for years without success"

"What else?" Kiritsugu asked.

"His motives behind getting the Stone are unknown" Sebastian said "Most attempt it for the long life or the wealth, not to mention Alchemy can be done without Equivalent exchange; although I have only ever seen Homunculi with those abilities. And that's not important"

"Why do you think he wants it?" Kiritsugu asked "You obviously believe he's not doing it for any of those reasons"

"I can't fathom why he really wants it" Sebastian said "That has been an enigma since I found out who he was; Kimblee's not the type to want base things, he likes theatrics and explosions"

"Kiritsugu" Maiya said "I got a hold of the closest airport to Fuyuki; and it's about an hour's travel"

"I'll be right there" Kiritsugu said "I may have more questions later, but get some sleep; I'll wake you when we land"

Despite the coffee, Sebastian no more than heard those words and he was out like a light.

 **One Hour until Zero**

The first tale almost complete, and his wrath has come,

For such does Angra Mainyu live,

Within the womb of the Holy Grail.

But All the World's Evils cannot stop…

Crimson Flame approaches,

And the City frozen in time-brings those fated to fight…

Together, at last…

There is Fate

And then there's the Alchemist.

 **Chapter Extension (Thirty Minutes remain)**

Sebastian was wide awake. He saw that barrier like Kiritsugu and Maiya…and he didn't like it.

"Iri's not picking up" Kiritsugu said emotionlessly "That's not good"

"ETA to destination; Twenty-Five minutes" Maiya said "Kiritsugu-when we enter that barrier, there may be enemies waiting"

Kiritsugu fixed his guns, and loaded them. He cocked them, and spoke to her.

"When we enter the city, look for any anomalies in the sky or ground that would lead us the right way" Kiritsugu said "Find a high-rise close to the target and wait; if this Kimblee intends on summoning the Grail, we'll know where he is immediately"

Kiritsugu turned his head.

"You are sure that he needs three vessels?" he asked Sebastian.

"That is what he said; although I wouldn't put any stock in that" Sebastian said "It's enough that we know he needs an Einzbern Homunculus as a vessel at all"

"I thought we ended this a while back, and that what we were doing since was cleaning up the stragglers" Kiritsugu said "I should have known it wasn't that simple-kill one thing, and another takes its place"

"Yes, but this hydra can be beaten" Sebastian retorted "We just need to get there before it strikes us"

Kiritsugu didn't respond to that, and instead focused on the road.

Sebastian used this time to plan as well. Unlike the enemies he had to face thus far, Solf was the first one that really made him nervous; and whether that was the Crimson Lotus's plan all along or just a side effect remained just as mysterious.

Indeed it was an Alchemist from his dad's world, but those Horsemen were as well-each Horseman was different from each other, and thus all the Strategies for each one was different…way different.

They were entering the bubble now, and what Sebastian saw on the other side of that threshold held him in complete fear for the city.

The Sky was red, and cloud to cloud lightning was prominent. The buildings were desolate and crumbling. The cars they drove past were rusted and falling apart. And the people…the people were frozen in place.

Fuyuki was a hellish place.

"Angra Mainyu" Kiritsugu whispered.

"Do you think he summoned the Grail yet?" Sebastian asked, angry.

"No" Kiritsugu said "At least, I don't think so" he looked at Maiya "Get to my house, and quick"

"Understood" she said emotionlessly "Should I find a spot to snipe this guy, or do something else?"

"Keep to the plan; we'll just do it from my house" he responded.

And so they drove to a place close to the house.

"We'll get out here" Kiritsugu said, and opened the door "Use channel three" he told her.

She looked at him for just a second.

"Good luck" she said, and was gone.

 **Five Minutes until Zero**

Kiritsugu watched her go, and looked at Sebastian.

"No matter what you see; our objective is his death" he said.

"I know" Sebastian responded "That and stopping the ritual"

"Correct" Kiritsugu turned to the direction of his house, and ran. Sebastian followed.

It didn't take them long to get there, but the sight Sebastian saw was enough for him to cry out.

The front of the Einzbern Residence was cut clean off, and that section of the house was thrown to the ruins of the mansion.

Sebastian's family looked surprised; even a bit scared-and that set Kiritsugu off.

"IRI" he screamed "ILLYA!"

"I'm afraid they are unable to respond" a voice said "But they can definitely hear you, so please continue to cry"

There was a platform (tower) built beside the house, in the ruins of the neighbors plot, and Solf J Kimblee was standing atop it, clad in his State Uniform.

"It was an unintended side effect of the Reality Marble we find ourselves in" Kimblee continued "My only goal is the Grail itself and the Philosopher's Stone it will give me"

"You can't" Sebastian said "If you do; this whole world is in jeopardy"

"And that sounds like it's not my problem" Kimblee looked at Sebastian's grandfather "Ah, the Mage Hunter himself. I had hoped to meet him someday, and am not surprised. Let me guess, you're here to kill me then?"

Kiritsugu said nothing, as there was nothing to say.

"Not up for talking?" Kimblee asked "That's alright, I have had plenty of time to talk to your Irisviel; interesting woman, but unfortunately my version of the summoning includes the three little ones"

"KImblee!" Sebastian yelled "Don't you dare"

"I already told you, Elric, I don't dare" Kimblee said, and whistled. Flying machines by the dozens appeared.

"These things are an interesting piece of technology" Kimblee declared "This world calls them drones. The governments of this world invented them to spy on the populace; and take out those who do not comply. I wish we had these in Amestris, but I digress"

The things cocked their guns at Sebastian and Kiritsugu.

"Oh, and I took the liberty of keeping that other woman busy as well" Kimblee said "Don't worry, she'll be fine as long as she stays behind cover, where she belongs"

"Why!" Sebastian was close to tears "Why do you want the Stone?"

"Because it interests me" Kimblee said simply "Now I tire of talking to you; witness my victory first hand!"

Kimblee waved his hands, and little Illya, Kuro, and Miyu floated to the space above them all.

"NO!" Both Kiritsugu and Sebastian screamed together. Sebastian threw a barrier around his Grandfather, and ran towards Kimblee.

For his part, Kimblee smiled maliciously and threw his pointed finger in Sebastian's direction.

"FIRE!" he shouted, and the drones opened fire.

Sebastian threw a barrier in front of him, and activated one for his feet, so that he could gain height.

The drones flew all around, and Sebastian was forced to dodge them, as he tried to make his way towards Kimblee.

Drones began to explode, and Sebastian spared a glance at his Grandfather.

Kiritsugu didn't miss, even as he shot the machines to the ground.

Sebastian projected swords, and using his barrier, he destroyed the machines as the bullets fired harmlessly off his shield.

Kimblee began his incantation:

"Let Mana and power be the essence. Let my sacrifices be the foundation. Let the Grail be the goal I pay tribute to. Let rise a wall against the wind that shall fall. Let the four Horsemen serve as my sacrifices in place of servants. Let the three vessels I have be your gate and my gift for the last three servants." He chanted.

More drones were getting in the way, using themselves as obstacles to hinder Sebastian's progress.

"Let it be declared now; I Desire your presence, and that of your soul. Submit to my calling, O Holy Grail. Come and hear my wish, my want, and my need."

"NO!" Sebastian was destroying them by the droves, and still more came. Kiritsugu was firing and remarkably not missing, but even so the numbers were against them.

The three girls began to be encased in jewels of some kind. Illya became a Diamond, Kuro a Ruby, and Miyu a Sapphire. They began to circle the air.

"An oath shall be sworn here" Kimblee continued "I shall attain the Philosopher's Sone; And in exchange, allow All the World's Evils to go free. All the requirements have been fulfilled! Now take your price, and come fourth!"

The circling Jewels moved faster, and in the space they surrounded, a cup appeared and they disappeared. The jewels reappeared on the golden chalice.

This was the Lesser Grail.

Kimblee had won.

 **Zero**


	17. Chapter 17

Yes.

His nature is evil.

He was made that way, after all.

He was born to be evil from the very beginning.

He's not like people.

This is a pure deity that people made.

But-even if his actions are evil, we have yet to know what he thinks of it.

 **Chapter 17**

Sebastian fell on his knees; his only saving grace was the barrier keeping him in the air. His eyes filled with the tears of all his pent up emotions regarding to the man in front of him and what he did to Sebastian's whole life.

"ILLYA" Kiritsugu cried "NO-NOT MY LITTLE GIRL"

"All this drama doesn't become any of you" Kimblee stared at Sebastian with a smile on his face and looked at the Grail now filling up with a dark-evil liquid.

"Kiritsugu! Look out!" Sebastian wiped his tears and cried, as the liquid spilled to the ground. Sebastian's barrier kept his Grandfather from harm, but the surroundings were coated with the black, almost reddish liquid that came out of the Grail.

"I have fulfilled my end of the bargain" Kimblee stated "Now, fulfill yours Oh Grail-that I may receive the Legendary Philosopher's Stone"

The Sky opened up to a big black disk, which Sebastian figured was the greater Grail.

"Sebastian" Kiritsugu called "He ignored the obvious choices for summoning the Grail-gates they were called"

"And you think you can save the situation from that one truth?" Kimblee looked at the Mage Killer "Why do you think I used your _daughters_ and that third girl" He opened his hands wide "The Ley lines responsible for the Magical atmosphere that makes this place rare are sick, and being drawn on by an unknown force"

"What do you mean?" Sebastian turned to the enemy.

"It doesn't matter about the disturbance, I just used those three for my recalculations, that's all" he said "I have traveled through time and from different worlds to achieve my goals, Elric. The particulars of such information would be lost on a Sixteen year old, surely"

Sebastian stood up, resolute.

"I don't think I can save them" he said, and his voice cracked from that truth "But I can never forgive you, Crimson Lotus-and if the only way to stop this evil is to kill you then that's what I'll do"

Sebastian drew on his mana so much that the effects were interfering with the Reality Marble. His hair whipped around drastically, and Kimblee's tower swayed with the torrent.

"It's a shame that the Grail wiped out my Drones" Kimblee clapped his hands together and exploded the area that Sebastian was just at.

For his part, Sebastian gave Kimblee a right hook, followed by a swipe from a projected sword. Kimblee dodged the attack, and threw an explosion in Sebastian's face, which sent him back a bit.

Kimblee put his hand in the air, and a flaming sword appeared.

"This is a Phoenix Talon" Kimblee smiled evilly "My own personal creation. It has a certain feel to it, as if it captures the attention of everything in a single room"

Sebastian said nothing to this, the fool was still on that stupid platform-and he intends to fight with swords?

He charged the Crimson Lotus; willing his sword to crush the talon thing. They exchanged a few blows before Sebastian realized what the flaming sword was doing…it was heating up his projected swords to the point where they burned his hands.

"Such a shame that you can't fight me with blades" Kimblee knocked him clean across the space above the now flooded street…where Kiritsugu once was.

His Grandfather had chosen to climb the house to the roof, and now pointed his gun at Kimblee. Kimblee seemed to sense it, however, and turned in time to cause an explosion where Kiritsugu was, and nearly got blown off by another bullet.

Sebastian knew that bullet came from Maiya, which only confirmed her ability to engage those drone things.

"What the Hell" Kimblee said.

Kiritsugu spared a glance at her direction and pulled the trigger on his gun, which would have hit Kimblee normally, except it deliberately veered to Sebastian instead. He jumped out of the way.

Kiritsugu's surprise only lasted a second, before he jumped onto the platform from the roof, and Sebastian had an inkling that he used his Magic Crest for that Time Alter ability.

"The Grail helps him, Sebastian" he said, and tried to throw Kimblee off the podium.

"Got it" Sebastian jumped in the fray, and kicked Kimblee clean off the podium. The Crimson Lotus Alchemist appeared momentarily surprised to find out he was standing in mid-air before brandishing the Talon and charging Kiritsugu. Another bullet almost hit the enemy, but Kimblee dodged it, even as Sebastian tossed a sword at his Grandfather, who caught it.

"While this is admittedly fun" Kimblee said "I must touch the Grail to get my wish"

"That's not happening" Kiritsugu said "You idiotically failed in this one simple truth; you need a Heroic Spirit to touch the Grail, you can't do it yourself"

"And again, I bypass that with the three vessels I used to summon the thing" Kimblee declared, which made both men pause "Your Illya served as the actual Grail-symbolized by the Diamond" he pointed at the Diamond that adorned the Chalice.

"Her doppelganger served as the 'gate' required for activation, and necessary for connecting with the Greater Grail" he laughed manically "Her counterpart, who is not an Einzbern Homunculus, served as the bypass so that I, who came from the world beyond the Gate, could touch the 'Holy' Grail. Rather ingenious of me if I do say so myself" he pointed at the Ruby and Sapphire to make his point.

"It seems you've really planned this out" Sebastian said "But I won't allow you to touch the Grail"

He put his hand out, and a Magic Circle just as big as the Grail appeared; pure mana forming in a ball, ready to fire at the Cup.

"You think to destroy the Grail" Kiritsugu said.

"I do, if Kimblee attempts to claim it" Sebastian said, glaring at the Crimson Lotus.

"You'll only kill those girls" Kimblee said "And I don't think you want to"

"What I want doesn't matter" Sebastian said "If the world is destroyed to obtain it"

"Another Idealist, just like good old Ed was" Kimblee wasn't smiling now "Do you think another would make that choice, if he or she were presented the Grail? Your 'diligence' means nothing if you're the only one who thinks that way. Progress must come first, and if this world fades as a result, then it was meant as a Guinea Pig for ours"

Kiritsugu shot at Kimblee, who dodged his and Maiya's bullets in tandem, before attacking Sebastian. They parried blades, and the Crimson Lotus' hammering almost got Sebastian killed twice. Closer and closer he got to the Grail, and Sebastian had to renew his attack on Kimblee.

Kimblee did a faint and his explosion threw Sebastian towards the river of darkness below. He casted a barrier to steady himself, but realized he was too far away. He shot the Magic Circle he summoned at the Grail, and Kimblee had to defend it with a series of smaller explosions. Sebastian used that as a distraction to get back up to his level in the sky.

"You really are fighting me on this" Kimblee huffed "Your stubbornness will ultimately be your downfall"

Sebastian punched him in the face, and watched him plummet, except that he went about ten feet and the Grail stopped his descent. Sebastian looked at the black mass above the Lesser Grail, and the feeling he got was of a pair of eyes watching his every move. And he bet those eyes belonged to Angra Mainyu.

"What do you want?!" Sebastian shouted at the disk "Why do you wish to destroy the World?"

It did nothing but rumble, but Sebastian could swear it was laughing at him.

Kimblee was on him, his Talon in full swing towards its ultimate goal. He barely parried it, and the sword in his hand was flung to the ground.

"Good night, Elric" Kimblee held his hand out and caused an explosion right on Sebastian's head. The last thing he thought about as his body finally hit the black liquid was his anger at not being able to save his family.

"Mom…Dad…"

" **I want to know if it is a crime to live as you are, when you are different from others. I cannot come up with the answer by myself. That is why I wish for the birth of what can provide me with the answer." –Kirei Kotomine, and his desire for the Grail.**

Sebastian opened his eyes. It was snowing, and he laid in it; but didn't feel the cold. And that was the first thing he thought wasn't right about this. He got up, and gasped.

Before his very eyes was the Castle he had just previously visited…the one destroyed by Kimblee. The lights were on, and the place looked inviting, as if everything he wanted was inside it. And so he trudged to the gates, caring only slightly at the wind's caress, which wasn't cold.

He opened the door to find himself in the Einzbern living room. Kiritsugu was on the couch with Irisviel and Illya; Kuro was next to Illya and Miyu-rather sat between them, looking the happiest he'd ever seen her. Shirou sat on the floor, and Sella and Leysritt sat both on either side. Rin and Luvia were fighting over the Love Seat and Sebastian watched as his Dad and Mom came in from the kitchen and sat down near Kiritsugu. The only down side to this scene was the fact that they made no sound, despite their animated conversation.

He choked out a sob; as if this was what he wanted, to sit with his family like this…even Bazett was in the mix with Luvia and Rin.

"This is your wish; my brave, brave Sebastian" a bell-like voice sounded, and Sebastian turned to the kitchen "A wish that you would never ask the Grail to grant, but a wish nonetheless"

He instinctively knew her, but was utterly unable to speak; surprise, hurt, comfort, and sadness among other things washed over him like it was water and he was soaked to the bone.

He was looking at Lord Justeaze Lizrich von Einzbern.

She smiled sadly and beckoned him to enter the kitchen. Sebastian entered and found himself in his house in America, where he and his parents lived before Kimblee meddled.

He looked at the quiet that was his parents; who were asleep on the couch, almost in each other's embrace. He followed Justeaze up the stairs to find himself in his favorite classroom; his friends laughing and goofing off like so many kids in America did.

"Why am I seeing this?" he finally asked and gestured to the kids in the class "I'll never see them again"

"He's mocking you" she said sadly "Tempting you with things you'd never have normally or don't have at present. You stand in his way; and he so badly wants to be born into the World"

He didn't have to ask to know who she was talking about: Angra Mainyu.

"How do I stop him?" he asked her.

She shook her head, and gestured him to follow her. And so she opened the closet door, and ended up in the Edelfelt Mansion dining room. Only the table was gone, and people were dancing, people he'd never met before, circling each other to a mysterious tune that felt…

He shook himself.

"You want to know who they are?" she asked, curiously.

He nodded.

"They are heroic spirits; heroes who have fought every Grail war since I gave myself to it as the essence of the Greater Grail" she said.

"But only three wars were fought" Sebastian said, looking at them and seeing some familiar faces "I-I don't understand"

"The Grail, like everything else, must always move forward" she looked at him "But it doesn't move it time, or space. It moves on its own path, and Angra Mainyu and myself go with it"

She held out her hand.

"Would you like to dance with me?" she asked.

Despite his misgivings, Sebastian took her hand. And he blinked and suddenly it wasn't her…but someone else entirely. Sebastian knew on some level that it was her; just as he also knew that the woman in his grip was someone precious. She swirled and twirled to the music, singing softly to the music, giving it words so profound he thought he could listen to her voice forever.

But just as suddenly, the song ended; and when he blinked, it was Lord Justeaze again.

"Who was she?" he asked.

She just looked at him fondly, and turned to go.

"Follow me, Sebastian" she said "There is a point to all this"

Sebastian followed her through the door to the great hall, only to find himself in the actual castle.

"Don't be fooled; we are in the Heart of the Greater Grail now, near the connection to the Lesser Grail" she said, and hurried to the door at the end of the hall.

She opened it, and they were in what Sebastian thought was her chambers. As soon as she closed the door, she sighed.

"We'll be safe now" she said "He can't touch us"

"Why am I in the Grail?" he asked her.

"Solf Kimblee touched the Lesser Grail, and it chose him and yourself simultaneously" she replied, and looked at him "What Kimblee doesn't realize is that you were the one who killed the Horsemen he used as sacrifices and fought and defeated Bazett, Kuro, and your parents technically"

"H-how?" he asked "I never beat my parents"

"I believe he was the thing called Conquest" she said.

Sebastian thought about it.

"None of this actually makes sense" he said "How can Kimblee summon the Grail without a Grail War?"

"In the last war" she said "One of the Masters summoned a Servant that wasn't intended to be a part of the Wars. When that Servant was killed, and absorbed by the Grail as intended for all of the defeated Servants, he was in a position for the slightest of seconds to have his wish heard. The Second War ended in failure, with everyone being wiped out in the end, and so the Grail was never properly used. Since the First summoning also ended in failure; the accumulated mana and subsequent errors made by those I left behind when I sacrificed myself became too much for it, and a god that didn't exist acquired the mana to portray himself as what he was created for"

Sebastian let that sink in; having it explained this was easier to absorb than what little he had to go on.

"Angra Mainyu is what the Persians said he was" she said "Truly he was All The World's Evils; and corrupted the Grail to the point of no return. And since it isn't the same Grail that I created, the rules changed ever so slightly, and suddenly you don't even need to summon Heroic Spirits. Fighting that generated Epic Hero-like power is enough of a substitute, because the ritual involved allowed for that and three 'vessels' as well"

"So why did it choose me?" he asked.

"It didn't do anything, actually" she said "Except try to execute two slightly different commands. Kimblee summoned the Grail, using a method he came up with, and it worked. The Grail answered his Summons, and appeared for him, like it would if he was the victor. You, however, actually inadvertently became the Victor as per the original instructions of the Grail to seek the most worthy, or the 'Victor'. And that only happened because he 'started' the Grail war when he began the initial ritual slightly before your first battle with Kuro"

"But the Grail can only grant one wish at a time" Sebastian said.

"That is true" she replied.

"So are you here to help me?" he asked.

"Normally I wouldn't interact with anyone" she said "But the nature of the Summons and the unique way you both were considered, even though only one was supposed to be the winner…this all allowed me to seek and speak with you. I don't want Angra Mainyu to get what he wants; that wasn't why the Grail was created"

"And then I am the better option" he said. She nodded.

"You are the first one to ever be considered for the Grail, who doesn't want to use it at all" she said "Even Kiritsugu wanted the Grail at one point"

"You know my Grandfather?" he asked her.

"He became a heroic Spirit" she said, sadly "Like so many others; he desired the Grail"

"But I saw my wish" he told her "In the beginning of the-well whatever this place is"

"And that is a wish you never considered asking for" she said "My brave, brave Sebastian"

Sebastian thought about what he was told, really thought about it. Much of his journey left more questions than it did answers, and to not have to go through any of it was something he had longed for, but long since had cast that out as a result. If he could stop the Grail being used, which would be the greatest Miracle he could ask for…not that he'd ever ask the Grail.

"I think the best thing I can think of doing would be to destroy the Lesser Grail" he told her.

"That was my thought as well" she said "And in another timeline that was what Kiritsugu did"

"Since I'm actually in the Grail" he said "Can I save Illya, Kuro, and Miyu?"

"You'd have to get to them before he does" she said "And if this is part of your goal, then you'd have to make it fast"

And the whole place started shaking bad.

"I love the timing" Sebastian said, dryly.

"That is All The World's Evils" she explained "He needs to go through the lesser Grail to be 'born'"

"And that would require Illya and the others?" he asked. She nodded.

"What we're attempting has never been done, Sebastian" she said "You must hurry"

Sebastian opened the door…and everything began to collapse.


	18. Chapter 18

"Illya, Illya, Illya, Illya!" she sobbed. "My love, you've killed our Ilya!"

This thing dares to emulate her…my Iri.

"Why…why do…you refuse…the-the grail?"

The pain…it's too much

"Six billion people…on the Earth…against my wife and child…." He told it.

The thing tried to stare me down, as if her defiance would help her beat me.

"I…curse you…Kiritsugu…Emiya…Angra Mainyu…curses you…."

It wants the world to burn

"That's why…I have to kill you…."

"Suffer…until the day…you die…."

My wife…my daughter…I'll never see them again.

"And I will save…the world…" he choked out.

She snarled.

"I'll…never…forgive…you—!"

 **Chapter 18**

"Listen to me, Sebastian" she said quickly "You are in the Grail, yes…but your physical body remains in the world"

The place rumbled, and masonry started to fall.

"Do not let him corrupt you, because if he does-"

"Then he has won" Sebastian said, and nodded "I got it"

The glass burst from the window, and the same black stuff that came out of the Grail rushed towards him. Sebastian ran for his life, as an angry voice roared with fury at his intrusion. He turned a corner, and entered a long hallway; the evil black liquid followed relentlessly.

It appeared that he tried to corner Sebastian by also rushing in the opposite direction towards him, and he broke open through the door to run through another hallway. The black liquid tried to grab him as he ran down the hallway.

Another roar of frustration, and another attempt at his life.

"This is ridiculous" Sebastian said "Every door I open leads to another hallway"

Indeed that was the case, and he had no chance of changing his mind as to where he wanted to go; the black liquid was still on his tail.

Slowly, Sebastian started to understand that this convoluted labyrinth was in fact the Grail's Magic Circuits…or at least mimicked his understanding of them. He didn't know if that was good then, that the black stuff was following his aimless run through the corridors.

He activated a magic circle, and fired mana at the liquid, which stopped its assault for a few precious seconds. As he ran again, finally dodging falling masonry and broken ceilings, from which more black stuff came out of; Sebastian considered how he could use that brief respite to his advantage.

These accursed hallways have to go somewhere; eventually anyway. Sebastian used another magic circle, and fired his mana at the liquid, and opened a door only to shut it. This caused a great roar of fury that he had never heard before. He wasted no time, and ran down the hallway, still dodging falling rocks and debris from the surroundings.

Angra Mainyu certainly went from mocking and tempting him to all out murder-or the attempt thereof. That had to mean that Sebastian had a chance at saving the girls from this fate.

He opened a door to a hallway where the black liquid appeared, and quickly shut that; spinning in a 360 to try the one across the hallway from the bad door.

He opened that one, and when nothing appeared, he delved down that hallway as well. There was a door at the end that had diamonds sticking out of its surface. He almost had no choice in the matter.

Sebastian opened the door, only to stumble in a deserted Fuyuki…or a place with the appearance of the city anyway.

Sebastian looked around…and saw the Bridge in the distance. Something about this didn't make sense. The Door that he had walked through had disappeared as well.

"Somehow this feels like a trap" he said, and walked around a bit.

"SEBASTIAN" she shrieked, running with all her might.

He looked and saw little Illya; tears of pain and sorrow in her eyes, ran right up to him and jumped in his arms.

"S-so scared" she said, and gave a strangled sob. It was like a trap had sprung right over his heart. She shook as she clutched him; and he so badly wanted to kill Kimblee for his actions. How could he do this…?

Footsteps echoed, as if something covered in metal was walking…and indeed that was the case.

"Can you protect yourself?" he whispered, and she shook her head.

"W-without Ruby-I'm-I'm useless" she said.

Sebastian put her down, and pushed her behind him, projecting a suitable sword to meet his enemy. He looked at said enemy; she was clad in some sort of distorted version of what probably was a cool looking dress. And the Sword…

"Excalibur" he said.

He knew he was looking at a manifestation of the Heroic spirit (whose complete information was stored in the Saber Class Card) who had used the legendary sword in the past. And that without a doubt she was corrupted by All The World's Evils.

 **Saber Alter-Sword of All The World's Evils**

It charged him without warning, and it was all Sebastian could do to block its attack. His sword shattered against such a blade, and he had to dodge her swipe as she tried for a horizontal attack. A black wave of energy hit him, and threw him into the lamp post next to where Illya was.

Sebastian panicked; looking at himself-hoping that attack wasn't what Lord Justeaze meant by corruption of Angra Mainyu.

"Sebastian, are you alright?" Illya asked.

"Stay back, and don't touch that sword" Sebastian stood up "It has been corrupted by Angra Mainyu"

"You need a weapon that can challenger her" Illya said, and handed him the Saber Card.

Saber Alter threw another wave of energy at him, which he dodged, grabbing Illya and setting her behind a bush.

"Whatever happens to me, don't move from this spot" he told her, and tapped the card on her head "I will get you out of this"

Sebastian moved in Saber Alter's sight, and held the card up, as she slowly walked towards him.

It dawned on Sebastian then, that while his Mother had shown him how they work, and even while he studied the cards using Magecraft to read the condensed magical formulas and information regarding the particular servants called in the cards themselves; he had never actually used them.

As his mother had told him, the seven cards she owned included the information for seven servants-the lives, memories, personalities, and abilities of the seven people within the individual cards (one servant per class card), and that was cool in theory, but he had always relied on his abilities and not those of long dead entities.

"Heed my call!" he yelled, holding the card in the air "Give me thy body. Give me thy sword to wield. If you would obey the Grail's ally and obey this will and reason then answer my summons!"

His mana was drawn on involuntarily, as a result of the incantation, and he became rooted to the spot. Saber Alter sent another wave of black energy, but it bounced off Sebastian.

"I make this oath here. Though ever do I strive for good, ever do I proliferate evil" he declared "Thou who art seven heavens clad in three great words of power, arrive from the ring of restraint, O guardian of the Scales!"

Swirls of energy radiated off Saber Alter, and she raised her sword with a mangled, garbled voice.

"Install!" he shouted at the moment she said "EXCALIBUR!"

Immediately the card drew itself in him, and his clothes changed; becoming that close to Saber's except tailored for a male instead. And the object of his boyhood wonder appeared in his right hand-the Holy Sword Excalibur.

It blocked the huge portion of energy that was blasted towards him; and with a war cry, he dashed towards Saber Alter and engaged her in battle.

"You are becoming a nuisance" she said, as they leaned their swords into one another; her voice that was garbled, twisted, mangled, evil…

"You have silently haunted me, you vile creation" Sebastian responded "You couldn't just disappear, you had to corrupt everything you touched"

"I am what they made me" she said "What would you do with what made you?"

"My loving parents made me" Sebastian threw her off "And I pity you; you who had never known such childhood love as family could only be. But _you_ helped that bastard hurt MY family"

"I did what I deemed necessary" she responded "The world needs to be destroyed, and I need to do it"

Sebastian raised his own Excalibur, and poured all his mana into the resulting attack.

"That isn't up to you" Sebastian said "And like my Grandfather, I will destroy YOU"

"As long as evil remains" she drew her sword in perfect imitation "I cannot be destroyed…and since I am all of that evil, I cannot be beaten" She activated her Noble Phantasm.

"EXCALIBUR" they both shouted, and the resulting attacks hit each other, as both users of the sword vied for dominance.

"This is over, Sebastian" Saber Alter said "I put a lot of energy into this attack! You don't stand a chance"

"I…WILL…STOP…YOU!" Sebastian responded.

Both of them tried their best to destroy the other, but the conflicting blobs of energy remained poised in a seemingly unending torrent.

Sebastian thought this would never end until Saber Alter was struck through the chest, a sword sticking out at an angle. His attack proved true, due to that distraction, and Saber Alter was destroyed.

She was on a lamp post, and Sebastian was grateful for her intervention.

Ending his install, he walked over to her.

"Kuro" he said, and she smiled and jumped in his arms.

"You are the real you" she said, and got down "Do you know where Illya is by any chance; I have lost her and Miyu?"

"Kuro!" Illya ran from her hiding spot and flung herself around the other girl, who was startled for the merest seconds, but returned the earnest hug.

"I guess that answers my question" she said.

Sebastian felt happiness at having done something to help his family, but let it drain, preferring grim determination…which was necessary.

"C'mon" he told them "We have to find Miyu"

He waited for them to be next to him before pocketing the Class Card. The door had conveniently reappeared. He opened it, and walked into the hallway. He went to the first door he could get his hands on, and opened it.

"What a surprise" he said, and grabbed the hands of both girls "Run!"

The damn black stuff returned with a vengeance, and the roar of Angra Mainyu could be felt more than heard. Down the hallways they went, with Sebastian breaking down random doors like before.

"W-What is that stuff?" Illya was almost hysterical.

"It's the essence of Angra Mainyu" Sebastian huffed "This thing is a real pain"

"We have to do something" Kuro said "Illya can't take much more running"

Sebastian stopped and pushed them forward, turning to summon a magic circle.

"Keep running" he said, and blasted the black liquid over and over.

"Sebastian!" Kuro screamed, and more of the black stuff came barreling towards them.

"MMMIIIIINNNNNNEEEEE" it screamed.

"DUCK!" Sebastian yelled, and shot the liquid with pure mana. He kept doing so as the girls opened one of the doors. He pushed them both in and closed the door. Once again it banged against the door, hoping to break it open.

"I hate this place" Kuro said "That's the third time I had to deal with that thing"

"Angra Mainyu is seeking all three of you, in order to be free of the Grail" he told them.

"W-Why does he want us?" Illya asked.

"Because you, Kuro, and Miyu make up the Lesser Grail" Sebastian said "And it looks like we might have gotten lucky"

He turned to the door with Sapphires imbedded into it, and walked towards it.

"If Illya was in a Diamond imbedded door, than Miyu might be in this one" he said "What do you think?"

"I came out of a Ruby door" Kuro said tensely "So you may be right"

"Miyu" Illya whispered "Please hang on"

Sebastian opened the door, and the three walked in…to a winter bound Fuyuki.

This time the cold was real…

"Is this where Miyu really is?" Illya asked.

"This has to be a joke, right?" Kuro asked.

"I have no idea" Sebastian relented.

"Then allow me to spell it out for you" a lady in Buddhist clothing approached them.

Sebastian regarded her.

"You are Angra Mainyu" he said.

"That didn't take long" she said, and her clothes changed. She wore a pretty revealing dress, but her most prominent feature was the decorated horns on her head…bull horns.

"What the hell is that supposed to be?" Sebastian asked.

 **Kiara Sessyoin-Priestess of ALL THE WORLD'S EVILS (Heaven's Hole-** **The Third Pleasure Heaven of Deeply Grateful Existence)**

The woman smiled, which made Sebastian think…if this Angra Mainyu is male, then why is he manifesting himself as a female?

"MIYU" Kuro yelled, tense.

She pointed to where Miyu laid in the snow…crying over a body.

"Shirou" Illya said, and Sebastian had to grab her hand to stop her from running to them.

"That is a trap" he told her "And one that Miyu had fallen for"

"Why would she fall for a trap like that?" Illya asked.

"She knows" he said, pointing at the woman he had emulated.

The woman raised her hands to the sky.

"This is Miyu's secret garden, as she is still a part of the Lesser Grail, as are you two" she pointed at Illya and Kuro, and balls of magic shot out of her finger.

Kuro was quick and dodged her, but Illya wasn't so lucky.

"No" she moaned "I-I can't move"

Sebastian walked up to the woman with the bull horns, and projected Excalibur.

"My favorite sword" he said, admiring it "And that fight with the corrupt King Arthur allowed me to be intimate with this weapon"

"That sword does have a certain beauty to it" she agreed "Much like the woman who wielded such a thing"

She started chanting her magic, which caused the surroundings to blur and change.

"Thesis of the Still Heart" she said "The woman who created this was a genius"

They were in Sebastian's city-the Fuyuki that he had known when he had lived here with his uncle for a few years. His parents had to do something; he remembered the last day he spent with them before they went with some people to confer in some special encompassing secret.

Of course what they really did was cross the Gate, but that was something they told him only a few years ago.

When Sebastian had visited his uncle and aunt…and Miss Tohsaka and Miss Edelfelt, he was only ten years old.

Kuro and Illya were still there, and Kuro had brought Miyu and laid her next to Illya.

"This place…" Kuro said, looking "Where are we?"

"The Fuyuki of my timeline" Sebastian said "A projection of it, anyway. I suppose she is forming yet another trap"

"But you know she is, so you can avoid it, right?" Kuro asked.

"Maybe" Sebastian said "I have no idea what to expect"

"C'mon Sebastian" his aunt said "We need to get the rest of your supplies for school"

"Who is that woman with you?" Kuro asked.

"She's my Aunt Sakura" he responded "Man I look young"

They watched Sakura and an excited Sebastian walk to a local store, and Sebastian was tempted to follow them…

"There must be a reason we saw them" Kuro said.

"That's probably our trap" he told her.

Sebastian picked up Illya, and Kuro flung Miyu over her shoulder in a fireman's carry sort of way. He realized this would be their downfall, should that nun girl attack.

"It's not the most dignified position" Kuro referred to Miyu who was on her back "But we don't have another choice"

No…he looked at her; there wasn't another choice. Sebastian turned and followed the only people on the street, and Kuro walked with him-keeping herself in his sights.

Aunt Sakura stopped at various points and talked to Sebastian about all the things that were in the city…and the boy begged her for a candy here or a pastry there. Sebastian smiled at the memory, reveling in the fact that at least he had his memory, even if he couldn't get back to his own time. They crossed the street, waving at a car that didn't exist in this reiteration of such a memory.

"That's kind of creepy" Kuro admitted "Seeing them interact with people that aren't there now"

"It's the nature of memory" Sebastian said "I suppose that would play a factor, given that I have no memory of much of this interaction"

They watched the two go into the store and leave much sooner than they really had. His younger self must have wanted to get back home quickly.

And they followed the two back to the house, which made Kuro gasp.

"Yeah, my Uncle had kept the place" he said "But the sign says the Emiya residence instead…I suppose it'd be too painful to have kept the other sign"

"This doesn't make any sense" she looked at Sebastian "Where is that Nun girl?"

Sebastian was about to answer; when he heard a loud clap, and fell onto his back.

Illya stirred, and looked at him.

"Wh-What's going on?" she said "I-I still can't move"

"Sebastian" Kuro said "I-It's you"

Sebastian put Illya down, and got up…to see his younger self give a most evil grin.

"I didn't think inhabiting this body would be so fun" he said.

It dawned on Sebastian then.

"That's why you are this way" he said "You are Angra Mainyu…but at the same time you're not"

The little boy cocked his head curiously.

"I suppose you're right" he said, smiling "But what a conundrum that is-to be and at the same time to not be"

"Wait, what?" Kuro turned to Sebastian "Say what you mean"

"The boy here is a memory of me, given tangible form as a result of the Priestess' ability to enter in the hearts of others" Sebastian told her "And while she and Saber Alter were Angra Mainyu; they were merely manifestations of him. We are dealing with a god here, a fake one-but one nonetheless"

"And these deities always have a knack at manifesting themselves" Kuro looked annoyed "so we didn't really do much damage to this guy when I killed Saber Alter, then?"

"Probably not" Sebastian said.

"If you're done talking, can we fight now?" the boy asked.

"Kuro, keep him busy" Sebastian said and pulled out the Saber Class Card.

"Just hurry up" she responded and projected swords.

Sebastian started the chant, even as his younger self used the Alchemy unique to those beyond the Gate.

Kuro threw the swords like daggers; and summoned her bow to shoot more at him. Sebastian noticed that the boy used Alchemy clumsily, but was still able to hold his own against Kuro.

Sebastian finished the install, and dove into the fight, trying for all his might to kill this manifestation. He brandished Excalibur, and swiped and slashed at the boy who mocked him by taunts and throwing electric balls at him.

"I can't believe you're making a huge effort to kill yourself" he said, and used a stop sign to block Excalibur from hitting him.

The boy immediately transmuted said sign into a better held weapon and laughed.

"This version of Alchemy is so exciting to use, I'm so jealous of you" he said, and jumped to dodge Kuro's arrows "This is hardly fair, you know-two people against one boy"

He clapped his hands as he threw the transmuted weapon in the air, and touched the floor. A rock golem appeared from the sidewalk, completely made of concrete.

"Attack the vessel and bring me her corpse" the boy yelled as he caught his transmuted weapon "I'll finish off myself…myself" he laughed at his comment.

"The hell you will" Sebastian activated the Noble Phantasm, letting the power swirl around Excalibur, and tightened his gauntlets around the Holy Blade.

"Your mana capacity astounds me" the boy said "Of all the Einzberns I've come across, you take the cake in terms of power-of course the others I've brushed against were supposed to be vessels for my release"

"What I can't believe is you being this powerful entity" Sebastian countered "When you were nothing more than a useless Servant in the Third War"

"You know how many Wars I've interfered with to try to be 'born'" he said "And all that might have been avoided if _your_ family didn't try to cheat"

Sebastian raised Excalibur.

"This is over, Priestess" he declared, and noticed a smile on the boy's face-a smile of triumph.

There was a voice in his head.

 _Do not let him corrupt you, because if he does-_

Sebastian stopped his attack, and the boy cocked his head again.

"This is in my heart" he said "And you are in my memory"

"That troublesome woman" the boy sighed "If I didn't need her to operate the Grail, She'd already be mine. Either way I win, so I'm not worried"

And then his arm was impaled by an arrow.

"Damn, I missed" Kuro swore "He may not be able to kill you, but I will"

Sebastian clutched Excalibur, angry at this underhanded trick by Angra Mainyu; angry at the Grail for having such a convoluted way of obtaining what one wanted, and angry at his family for their arrogant shortcomings.

Kuro delved into the fight with a ferocity she had only reserved for Illya when the girl wanted her dead. Her faster speeds and acrobatic display was greater than the boy could handle, but even so he tried.

"My, my, this is unexpected" he said when she had pinned his other hand to the front door of the building "I didn't know you had it in you, Illya"

Kuro froze at that, before she could land the final blow, and once again he chanted an incantation that Sebastian couldn't understand and the place blurred and shifted.

Sebastian looked around, and saw an endless red plane…and there were chains and a lock. That lock had served a dual purpose, it seems.

"No…" Kuro had tears in her eyes "Not here"

"What is this place?" he asked her.

"Illya's lost memories" was the answer, but it didn't come from Kuro.

Sebastian turned, and there she was-a possessed Kuro.

He finally understood why Miyu was defeated…even if that Nun used Shirou. And he would ask Miyu later about that anyway…if there was a later.

She had possessed the memories held dear in the Heart, and as a result was able to gain some sort of shield. Kuro couldn't attack her memory, but Sebastian had no reservations.

He activated his Noble Phantasm again.

"Oh my, not a shred of hesitation" she mocked, smiling "And what does Illya think about that?"

"You don't call me that" Kuro shrieked "You have no right"

"I'm really sick of this" Sebastian yelled "So I'm ending this now!"

She projected Excalibur as well, and activated the Noble Phantasm.

"Gosh this looks familiar" she said in a very Kuroish way "And Kuro can't attack me because that'll kill her"

"Sebastian" Kuro said "She's baiting you"

"I know" Sebastian was agitated "But I can't just do nothing!"

"EXCALIBUR!" the possessed memory yelled, and threw the energy at Sebastian.

He threw the charged Noble Phantasm at her as well, but the stakes have changed. That Priestess person was using Kuro's abilities and her backup of the Grail's reserve energy, while Sebastian just used the mana on hand.

"AAAGGGHHH" he gritted as the energy pushed him back.

The possessed memory just started laughing, as her fake was pushing back the real…or as real as one'd ever get.

"Sebastian" Kuro and Illya screamed together.

Sebastian got distracted by the fact that little Illya had joined Kuro, that he lost more ground. There was no way he could win at this point.

 _Do not let him corrupt you, because if he does-_

"Not here-" he said.

"You have no chance" she told him "You better just give up, besides…I know you're tired, you can't possibly have much energy left to really defy me"

"I…Have…Enough" he panted, and was pushed back a little more.

"Illya…Kuro…" a voice said.

From what Sebastian could tell, that was Miyu finally waking up. So unless she used their earlier selves; then their defeat wasn't permanent.

"That's Sebastian" Illya said "He came for us"

"Sebastian…" Miyu repeated "I can help him"

"What do you mean?" Kuro said, and she sounded concerned.

"I have the Lancer card and the Rider card" she explained "We gave the others to Bazett, remember"

"But what do you-" Kuro paused for a second "An install!"

"Yes!" Miyu said.

"Then hurry, Miyu" Illya sounded scared "He can't hold on much longer"

"Wait-can you really do this?" Kuro asked.

"I have too" Miyu responded "It's the only way…besides, this is my fault. If I hadn't fallen for that-"

"That half dead girl thinks she could do anything to me" the possessed Kuro said "That is laughable at best"

"Heed my call!" she said, clearly "Give me thy body. Give me thy sword to wield. If you would obey the Grail's ally and obey this will and reason then answer my summons!"

Sebastian was almost too tired to carry on, and the energy was closer than it had ever come to destroying him.

"I make this oath here. Though ever do I strive for good, ever do I proliferate evil" she pleaded "Thou who art seven heavens clad in three great words of power, arrive from the ring of restraint, O guardian of the Scales!"

"She has no power left" the possessed Kuro declared "It'll never work"

"Install!" the word was the clearest she had ever uttered, and it was so loud it was more felt than heard.

Her attack was immediate.

"Gáe Bolg!" she yelled, and pierced the possessed girl.

Unfortunately it also caught Miyu in the resulting blast, as Sebastian had used all of his strength to stop that blast which now had no resistance.

Miyu was leaning on her spear-the spear of Cú Chulainn.

The Nun was on her knees, panting heavily.

"Miyu!" the girls exclaimed, and ran to their friend, who collapsed in their arms.

"I-I'm…alright" she said faintly "I'll live"

Sebastian picked up the Nun by the neck.

"You done trying to kill us yet?" he asked her.

"You may kill me now…but you'll never get past her. Not-Not even Kiritsugu could get past her" the Nun laughed garbled-like, as Sebastian impaled her with Excalibur.

The problem now was to find out who 'her' was…and Sebastian was hoping it didn't refer to Lord Justeaze.

Except that didn't make sense.

He looked at the girls, and clenched his fists. This was all Kimblee's fault…but-

The Sapphire door appeared, so it was time to go.


	19. Chapter 19

What does a man become if all he has is his regrets and enemies?

Can he stand without friendship?

Can he stand without allies?

Can he stand without love?

What if Fate drags him down so far, there's no climbing back?

What if all he had was the Sorcerer's Stone?

He will lose himself, surely.

What does a man become when faced with one ultimate prize?

If the six others died for that goal, then what?

If one could have what they wanted, would they be willing to share?

To drink of the cup of immortality, or obtain the stone of wealth?

Fate's design is often cruel, yes.

But no less so for one who wields…

There is Fate and then there is the Alchemist.

 **Chapter 19**

They were not assaulted like before, as the door opened up to Lord Justeaze's headquarters. Miyu looked ready to fall asleep and had to be carried to a couch. And when Sebastian put her down, that is what she did.

"Illya, Kuro" Sebastian looked at them "Keep her company; I need to talk to someone"

"But-" Illya began.

"Here" he gave them the Saber Card "That'll tell you I'll be back, right?"

"Just don't get into trouble" Kuro said.

Sebastian ruffled her hair and walked into the other room…where she was waiting.

"You have managed to rescue them" she nodded "But Angra Mainyu has become desperate; and tampering with the Grail is never a good thing"

"I appreciate that door opening up to this place" Sebastian admitted "But I won't feel good about saving them if I can't release them from the Grail"

"I can do that…but the Grail has never had to wait to hear a wish, since its creation" she said cautiously.

"What do you mean?" Sebastian asked.

"The Lesser Grail still exists, and that man has made his wish" she said.

"But how?" Sebastian demanded "I stopped the process within the Grail; I did everything you asked of me!"

"But this is the Second time Angra Mainyu has gotten so close" she said "And so the god of Darkness had a contingency plan"

"What's this plan, then?" Sebastian was fuming.

"There was a second Lesser Grail that had manifested once" she said, looking at him "I told you once that Kiritsugu in another timeline destroyed the Lesser Grail"

"In a Grail war that didn't exist" Sebastian nodded.

"Yes, well it did in that reality" she said "Everything in the Ritual was successful, and a Victor was chosen-Kiritsugu Emiya. Except that he didn't use the Grail; he wouldn't use what was corrupted, and ordered it destroyed"

"So it was, right?" Sebastian asked.

"Of course" She said "But the ritual was done the right way, and a Homunculus created in my likeness served as a proxy because the original Lesser Grail was destroyed. That Homunculus was given to the Greater Grail, of which myself and Angra Mainyu are a part of. And if that was what happened here, you would have been unable to save the girls"

"I thought the Homunculi created to be the Vessels had to turn into the Lesser Grail?" he asked her.

"That is indeed the case" she said "And that is what happened in this war"

"Then cut to it, what is this plan?" Sebastian couldn't believe this was happening.

"When the Homunculus went to the Holy Grail-as it was when the ritual began in this fourth war, she also touched Angra Mainyu and in the instant that happened and as it was in the Holy Grail, her last coherent thought was to 'remain this way'"

Sebastian felt a pit in his stomach, but he nodded his understanding.

"The Holy Grail had done the same that it did with the god of Darkness" she said "It granted her wish, and she became Angra Mainyu and the Lesser Grail simultaneously-and Angra Mainyu remained in the Greater Grail, waiting for the wish that never came"

"And even though the Lesser Grail was destroyed, Angra Mainyu wasn't" he finished "This won't end well, will it?"

"It might have never happened at all, except the man known as Solf Kimblee gave him the information on how to create a Homunculus using Magecraft" she said.

Sebastian was angry

"HOW DARE THAT MADMAN" he screamed "HE HAS DOOMED US ALL"

"No, he hasn't" she said "Sebastian, listen to me"

He calmed enough for Lord Justeaze to talk again.

"Nothing about this is normal" she said "And as it turns out, there is a way out"

"Anything" he responded.

"Angra Mainyu might be a created god, by the Grail, but he is by no means omniscient" she said "Remember what he is at his core"

"The Heroic Spirit, Avenger" Sebastian said "He is nothing more than a foolish attempt at cheating in the War"

"A mistake made by our family" Justeaze nodded "But one that we can fix. I don't think we can kill Avenger, there are a lot of reasons why, and that I can't get into at present. However, we have the ability to kill the part of Angra Mainyu that has a chance at Birth-the one currently stuck in the Lesser Grail"

"Then I will attempt this" Sebastian sighed "But I want Illya and the others out of the Grail before that happens"

Lord Justeaze stood, and nodded.

"That would be a good idea" she said "That would cut off his escape routes"

"I want to know one thing, first" he stopped her "Why hasn't Angra Mainyu escaped yet?"

"Because you are still here" she said simply "And you deconstructed the Lesser Grail made by Kimblee"

"What does me being here have anything to do with that?" Sebastian asked.

"The Grail is essentially a cup-well it is a cup" she said "And when you drink from a cup, you always drink first that which was last to be put in the cup"

That made sense in a way-but gave the Holy Grail a more literal meaning…mercy comes before destruction.

He opened the door and went to them.

"You'll be going soon" he told them, and Illya went for a protest.

"What about you?" she said "You have to leave with us"

"I can't do that" he said "I have one more thing I need to do first"

"It's that Angra guy isn't it?" she asked.

He nodded.

"Sebastian" Kuro said "You can't kill him by yourself"

"Yes, we can help" Illya included.

"I want you to take care of the others" Sebastian said "Your dad is out there, as well. Help him keep you all safe"

"But he'll kill you!" Illya said.

"I don't know" he agreed "But I can tell you that if I don't stay-he'll be born"

"Someone has made a wish" Kuro said.

"And that man is out there with the rest of our family" Sebastian said "Please, guys…stay with them"

"You have to come back-you have to win" Liittle Illya said "Promise me…please"

Sebastian looked at them, even Miyu…and realized they weren't going to budge unless he did promise. And it hurt his heart just a little more.

"I promise, okay" he said, to which she gave him a quick hug.

"Thank you for getting us out of here" she said.

Kuro looked at him.

"I'll expect you to hold your promise, then" she said and picked up Miyu.

"They're ready" he told Lord Justeaze, who nodded and disappeared with them.

He sighed, and straightened himself.

It was time to confront _all_ of Angra Mainyu.

" **Humm, hum, hum, huum, hum, humhumhum, hmmm-ha ha ha ha" –Angra Mainyu, and his Lullaby.**

It didn't take long for Sebastian to find the last door, the one with Rubies embedded in it. He figured something would be in there, if not All The World's Evils himself. And he had never entered the Ruby portion of the Lesser Grail. Somehow it still exists, or maybe he just used the Ruby Door for convenience, but Sebastian could care less about that.

"You are wondering about his absence, aren't you?" a voice asked.

Sebastian looked at Lord Justeaze, and nodded.

"I would have thought he would try to devour me again" he said "How are the girls doing?"

"They are outside the Grail now, and have asked to watch the battle, to which I agreed" she said.

"Watch the battle, how?" he asked her.

"The reality marble that was summoned came from Angra Mainyu, and I simply replaced it with one that features where you will be when you fight All The World's Evils" she explained.

"I would rather that you didn't" he said "But thank you anyway"

He opened the door, and it looked like Fuyuki, the version that he last fought the Crimson Lotus Alchemist in.

"The black liquid covers the entire street" he said, and looked at his unconscious body "And I am in this stuff"

"Remember when the Grail chose you and Kimblee" she said "Your body lies unharmed as a result"

Sebastian looked at the house missing its front…and his whole family appeared on the second floor. Most were looking at him and Lord Justeaze, but it pained him to see his mom and dad distressed at his unconscious body.

"Can they hear me?" he asked her.

"They can hear and see all" she said "That is both a wonder and a curse"

"Yes, I suppose" he answered "I would rather face Angra Mainyu by myself-without an audience"

"La lala la-la lalala, la la lalala la la lalalala, la-la lala la la lalala, la la lalala la la lalala" a bell-like voice sang in such a heart-breaking manner "La lala la-la lalala, la la lalala la la lalalala, la-la lala la la lalala, la la lalala la la lalala"

Sebastian stiffened, and clutched his chest.

" _You may kill me now…but you'll never get past her. Not-Not even Kiritsugu could get past her" the Nun had said…_

That was a double meaning apparently.

In a white dress, full of grace and beauty; and gold trim, was a woman he would have never thought would be Angra Mainyu.

Her name _was_ Irisviel von Einzbern. He was looking at his Grandmother…to which Sebastian rounded on Lord Justeaze.

"YOU NEVER TOLD ME I WOULD BE FACING MY OWN GRANDMOTHER!" he shouted amidst exclamations.

"I wanted to keep you from despair" she answered sadly "Because that woman is Angra Mainyu in its entirety"

"No wonder Kiritsugu couldn't get past her" Sebastian said, and turned to face the beast that dared wear her frame "So what makes her so different from Avenger?"

"As I have said, she was the Lesser Grail for the Fourth War" Lord Justeaze answered.

Sebastian glanced at the audience on the second floor. Everyone was frozen in shock; and Kiritsugu had his arms around the real Irisviel, his face set in such pain at the realization.

"Are you disappointed that I am what was made to be?" she asked, and sounded so much like Grandmother Iri "Or are you mad that I wear such a face?"

Sebastian said nothing, only stared at her with such fury.

"I didn't want to do this, you know" she said and gestured to the audience "I would have been much happier with another alternative. It would have been painless for the vessels and the rest would have died in the explosion of my birth"

Still Sebastian was quiet, keeping his fury at bay.

"It's just that you have fought so hard to stop me, much harder than the others in the Grail Wars" she continued "I might have considered it a pain, but this personality that I absorbed cannot even think of such things as annoyance and hatred. Luckily I can get past her aversion to hatred"

She tucked her perfectly straight hair behind her ears, still smiling that sweet smile that ever belonged to his Grandmother, in the small time that he had known her anyway.

"I hate you Sebastian Elric" her bell-like voice was somewhat mesmerizing "I hate you with my entire being; so much so that I want nothing more than to make you suffer, and suffer, and suffer-in a manner that I have decided to make all of them suffer when I am finally born" she turned and looked at the audience "I will enjoy torturing them all; and no amount of begging will stop my hate from being felt. And I hate you as well, Kiritsugu"

He tightened his hold on his wife.

"All you had to do was give in, and wish for what was most dear to you" she continued, in a somewhat wistful manner "But you chose the lives of this planet, and weighed them against your family…your precious Iri, and your Daughter Illya-Six Billion people that cursed and scorned you, versus the few who would have given you love and joy so profound, you would have forgotten you were a merciless Killer"

Angra Mainyu turned back to Sebastian.

"And last but not least…the Grail itself" she smiled again "It was nice of you to finally realize I was a blight on the Land, Einzbern"

Lord Justeaze stared at her wearily.

"Just think…If Jubstacheit hadn't tried to cheat in the Wars to obtain the Third Magic" she said "Then I wouldn't exist right now"

There was a rumbling as more black tar erupted out of the different looking Lesser Grail (which Angra Mainyu and Sebastian were still in) and fell upon Angra Mainyu, which melted her clothes and replaced them with a black-extremely revealing dress. A black crown adorned her head, and her peaceful face turned maniac-like as she laughed and laughed.

 **IRI ALTER- ALL THE WORLD'S EVILS and THE BLACK HOLY GRAIL**

"Get ready Sebastian" Lord Justeaze said "What she is wearing is the Dress of Heaven, an Einzbern Mystic Code designed to be all the Knowledge of the Third Magic"

"Why does that not surprise me" Sebastian said, readying himself.

"All of you will burn forever" Angra Mainyu said, and seemingly without effort, rose in the air "I banish you from this battlefield, Justica, and will proceed with the authority I have as the Grail"

Angra Mainyu summoned many hundreds of magic circles, and aimed them at Sebastian. Sebastian realized that Lord Justeaze was well and truly gone; but that his hand burned with a fire that he didn't know could burn.

 _Her fate may have been, but she will serve you well…_

That voice in his head had a familiar ring to it…like it was the same as the dream he had, but that was impossible.

"Her parting gift won't save you now" Angra Mainyu laughed "But you can try anyway-see if it works for you"

He glanced at the back of his left hand, and gasped. Despite the fact that a War didn't, he was granted three command seals as if he was a master.

Sebastian snapped his head back and summoned a barrier as the magic circles activated and bombarded him.

He was given these command seals, but didn't know where his Servant was, if that was indeed what they were for.

He had to think of something, however. His barrier wouldn't hold back the barrage forever.

"Ha ha ha ha, ah ha ha ha ha" Angra Mainyu laughed.

The mana she threw at him was black and evil-looking…and he had no reservations about what it might do to him if it actually landed.

His barrier broke, and her barrage stopped just enough to mock him.

Sebastian's vision suddenly blurred from the loss of mana, and a Magic Circle appeared similar to the one that showed up when using the Class Cards.

"That's not possible" Sebastian said, as a Heroic Spirit materialized in front of him, carrying a large cross-shaped shield. Her dress style was a bit peculiar, as she wore a breastplate and armored boots; she had on a black undergarment of sorts that indicated it was probably a physical fitness outfit. She also had violet eyes and purple hair but that was beside the point. If he didn't know any better, he just used most of his mana capacity to summon the Servant in question, instead of the Grail doing the summons.

That would make sense, as Angra Mainyu has almost total control of the Grail at present, and it probably wouldn't be beneficial to use the Grail for the summons.

"I am Shielder, of the Shielder Servant Class" she looked at him, and gave a tentative smile "I am at your command, Master"

Sebastian had to stabilize himself, as his mana levels were quite low at the moment.

"She would use an irregular Class to try to help you" Angra Mainyu said, more to herself than to him "Surprising as that is, your Servant is laughable Sebastian Elric. Her best qualities are nothing more than a half assed attempt at using the Third Magic, and defense…and considering Justica wisely chose to use your mana instead of the Grail's, it's laughable" she laughed.

Sebastian fell to his knees; his levels were so low, he began panting.

"You forget I am a Magus, Avenger" she said to the god of Darkness "I have offensive capabilities as well"

"Not enough to even get close to defeating me" she said snidely "All you have achieved is an irrevocable defense against my corruption; I'm still powerful enough to outclass him"

Shielder offered her hand, and Sebastian took it.

"Your levels will stabilize, Master" Shielder said "But you won't retain all of your Prana, as I would need a steady supply to exist"

"But they won't help me now" Sebastian said, wiping the sweat off his face, and looked at her "Do you have enough mana for now?"

"I do" she said, looking at Angra Mainyu "I am aware of your 'switch' ability, but am curious as to see it in action, if you'll indulge me?"

Sebastian 'switched', becoming an Alchemist, and looked right at Angra Mainyu.

"You had no idea I could do that, huh?" he asked condescendingly.

"So you could change your hair, and eyes" Angra Mainyu was becoming more maniacal, and agitated, which was warping her voice "I wouldn't put any stock in your ability to defeat me"

"You have no idea what an Alchemist can do, Angra Mainyu" Sebastian clapped his hands, and the instability from excessive mana usage provided excellent fuel for his electric balls "With my Shielder protecting me from your evil, I will stop this madness from being released"

He threw his electrical projectiles at the thing wearing his Grandmother's face, and dodged her resulting magic barrage with Shielder's Noble Phantasm: Lord Chaldeas.

Angra Mainyu abandoned her magical attacks, and opted instead to use Magecraft Alchemy. She took a few strands of her hair and yanked them out, transmuting them into wires from which she could turn into many shapes. He himself had never done this, except to create bird and insect familiars once in a while, but he had seen his Mother employ that tactic if she needed a sewing needle or a spoon or something.

What he was witnessing now was nothing short of a weapon, as she had created a short sword from the entwining wires and pure mana.

On a totally academic standpoint, Sebastian admitted to himself that that was master level magecraft. But he soon realized that he didn't have a sword to counteract her, which on hindsight really hurt.

"Aggaguh" he screamed as she pulled her sword out of his left shoulder. Damn she was fast.

"Master" Shielder pushed Angra Mainyu back with her shield and thrust her shield in the ground, creating a circular barrier.

"My physical b-body is not in the Grail" he said between breaths "So why does this hurt so bad!"

She peered at his wound, and touched it, getting another scream out of him.

"The good news is that your wound's not infected with the corruption" she said "The bad news is that your soul was wounded from her attack, and I have no idea what repercussions that might have later"

"C-Can you heal it?" he asked her.

"Probably not-though my healing skill isn't half bad, it's tailored to physical wounds" she huffed "I'm not sure if anyone can heal that or even if the magic for it exists"

Sebastian brokenly got up, and glared at Angra Mainyu, sitting there with that contemptuous smile on her face. With his shoulder wounded, which disabled his further attempts at using Alchemy, and his mana more than likely not recovered as of yet, Sebastian was running out of options.

"She's just sitting there" he said.

"My ability in defense is top-notch" Shielder said "Even for her, there's no getting past it"

"How's your offensive capability?" he asked.

"Not enough to kill her" Shielder replied "But I can definitely keep her busy"

"Too bad I don't have a sword" he said "With your ability to block magic attacks, as long as I don't get hit anymore, I might be able to do something"

Shielder handed him a sword.

"What is this?" he asked.

"I have it on me, but I never learned how to fight with it" she said, embarrassed.

"It looks early English, probably Roman influenced" he commented "Which would somewhat go with your armor and Shield, but doesn't match your clothes under the armor"

Her face reddened, and she turned away from him.

"Good luck out there" she said "I'll guard your Six"

"Right" he said. He knew he made a stupid comment there, but she did look pretty…and he was only sixteen after all. He drew the sword out of its scabbard, and brandished it, careful to not move his shoulder too much.

"So it comes down to a battle with steel" Angra Mainyu discarded his transmuted short sword and summoned another one "This is Tawrich, the Left Fang Grinder. It is a minion of mine, and she personifies Hunger-all Hunger"

She summoned another Sword in her right hand.

"This is Zarich, The Right Fang Grinder-and she represents ageing" Angra Mainyu smiled "Your sanity belongs to me if you get hit with either of these weapons"

Sebastian huffed and readied his blade against ALL THE WORLD'S EVILS, with the mysterious Servant known as Shielder at his back, ready to defend him. His shoulder was in a lot of pain, and his lack of sleep was catching up to him.

If he failed, then there was nothing left to stand in his way, and Angra Mainyu would be born in this world-to burn it all in fire and darkness.

And it would be the End of All Hope.


	20. Chapter 20

He looked at the enemy,

His arm was useless,

His friends were damaged,

His parent-terminal and dying.

"Eyes wide open!"

He looked at himself,

His abilities diminished,

They were crying, their sorrow was great,

In danger of death and pain.

"I stand alone"

You only think you do,

Your family raises you with every breath you take,

They won't leave you, they stand by you,

As you fight for their lives.

"I'm no hero!"

But your Servant is,

She has the integrity of a knight,

Following you to the very end,

Even as you take your last breath.

 **Chapter 20**

Sebastian dashed to Angra Mainyu and attacked even as she did. Oh, yes it came down to steel and its dance; both parties doing their best to kill each other. Sebastian's arm still pained him, enough that he had one hand to use his sword. His attacks were clumsy and his defense was weak, and Angra Mainyu wouldn't give him an inch. Her swords were fast, and she was attacking with a strength he didn't know Irisviel had, although both her and All the World's Evils were magical entities.

"Shielder, enhance my arm!" he said, getting behind her shield.

She chanted the necessary spell.

"I gave your body a speed boost as well" she said "But I really think I should jump in as well, I have hand to hand combat skills"

Sebastian grunted and charged Angra Mainyu once again. It wasn't like he was a sexist or anything, but he didn't feel right letting her take over. He didn't know much about the Shielder Class, being an irregular one and all, but he did have an inkling at her greatest strength; which was her defense.

"You seem to have gotten stronger" Angra Mainyu mocked "But I can feel your fatigue, Elric, and I know it's only a matter of time"

Sebastian yelled and doubled his efforts; he swiped and she parried; he slashed and she blocked it with her swords. Each movement gave him pain, but he resisted until she hit him into the house, which he just went through as if he was an insubstantial illusion.

Angra Mainyu floated into the second floor, which caused him to run up the stairs.

"This place doesn't exist in the Grail, but I can still run up the stairs" he commented.

He ran down the broken hallway, and jumped in between his family and the monster.

"What are you so afraid of?" she asked him, and walked right through Bazett, who stared at them in horror.

"You don't just move the battlefield to the house for nothing" he spoke back.

"You are right of course" she looked at the inhabitants with contempt and malice "Perhaps I wish to give them pure terror, before I kill you. Or maybe it's because it would distract you from success"

She made a critical error, however. Sebastian realized that Angra Mainyu left himself wide open, almost completely ignoring his Servant Shielder. Shielder seemed to realize this as well, because she dashed into the air and swung her shield like it was nothing; pummeling Angra Mainyu to the first floor.

She took a look at the audience and then at Sebastian.

"I'll cover her escape from here, you get to the staircase!" and jumped off.

Sebastian ignored the stares and ran towards the staircase.

He stopped when he felt a screech of pure hatred from below. An explosion of sorts, which pushed something out of the house and that worried Sebastian.

He ran back to the edge of what was left of the second floor, to find Shielder duking it out against Angra Mainyu, and actually wining.

She punched the thing that looked like Irisviel in the stomach, and the thing lost the crown.

"That's enough, Avenger" she said "This is the last time we'll ever meet, and what a relief to know you'll disappear"

"I highly doubt that, Mash Kyrielight" Angra Mainyu stated "Even if you should destroy me here, I'll exist in the Grail-as I'll always exist in the Grail"

She smiled her maniacal smile that sent chills down Sebastian.

He looked at Shielder-who has a name. She looked embarrassed at the mention of her name, but shook it off.

"In Magical combat, you exceed everyone here" Shielder replied, regaining her composure "The Holy Grail did not choose wrong, however"

She pointed at Sebastian.

"I am the path that he will use to end you" she said confidently "Because your greatest weakness was always combat"

"The human has no chance at success" was the response "I am able to kill any human that crosses my path. He is injured and can only use one arm-and I took away his pride and joy"

There was a gasp and a whine; to which Sebastian turned to his parents. They had known what Angra Mainyu did to him, even though he didn't…and then it hit him.

His Alchemy-Angra Mainyu had suddenly changed tactics when he began to use it. His wound in the shoulder was enough to disable him, but did it really stop him from using it.

He glanced at Shielder and Angra Mainyu; both of which were attacking each other now, and thought this would be a better time to try. He tore his shirt, and patched up his wound into some kind of a sling that would allow him his clapping shortcut. The air in the Reality Marble was still magically charged, and he focused on that when he activated his Transmutation, and cried out in agony. He fell on his knees as the electric charge went through him, although that was only a part of the pain he experienced.

"Sebastian" there were cries as those around him tried to help him without success. He was still in the Grail.

If one injury could do all that-

He forced himself to 'switch', and grabbed his sword.

Sebastian screamed in anger at this evil, activating his mana-which drained him quite a bit. But he put that mana in his body, and willed himself to plunge the blade within her accursed chest.

The next second felt like an eternity, and he knew that without uttering words, he'd activated his Magic Crest. The sword Shielder had given him was through Iri Alter, who was All The World's Evils.

"Master!" Shielder lowered her fist-and the surrounding area rumbled with a quake so powerful, that it was affecting the Reality Marble within the Grail.

Angra Mainyu twisted her head, so that the face of his Grandmother was looking at him from her back.

"You… can't… escape… your… Fate… Elric… and… neither… can… they"

She exploded into a blob of black stuff, which Shielder saved him from.

They were in the Castle again, and like before it was falling to pieces.

"We need to get out of here" he said.

She looked at him.

"If you exit the Castle, you can get back to your body" she said, and took his arm "I'm faster, and we need to get out of here before the Lesser Grail is destroyed"

She ran without his input, dodging falling masonry and broken pillars. Certain portions of the Castle just disappeared outright; which caused her to change directions jerkily, and that made him cry out involuntarily.

"This is bad" she cried as she ran "The destruction is happening at too fast a pace"

"Focus on the exit" he replied.

They did get to the exit eventually, in which Lord Justeaze was waiting for them.

"I can hold it off some" she replied "But just like before-his corruption will burn your family before you can save them, unless you think of something fast"

"What about you?" he asked her.

She looked sad, but resolute.

"I must remain in the Grail, for your sake" she said "This WILL be the last time we speak, so remember this-if you value your lives, never allow the Grail to be summoned again"

"Why? What do you know?" Sebastian asked.

"You've only destroyed a portion of the god of Darkness" she said "The Servant known as Avenger still exists, and he is very angry"

Sebastian filed that in his mind, but was loathe to leave her.

"Get out now!" she opened the door, and Shielder pushed him out with her.

The Lesser Grail was no more.

Sebastian woke up and got up quickly.

The Greater Grail was still there, and a loud angry voice could be heard screaming. Shielder was standing beside him, her shield raised in defense towards it.

The Reality Marble threatened to wink out of existence, the mana instability was so great. A large amount of black liquid was released as the Greater Grail disappeared.

"I'm activating my Noble Phantasm!" she yelled "Lord Chaldeas"

The shield stopped it from falling, but the stuff was running to the end of it, ready to drip to the ground.

" _You… can't… escape… your… Fate… Elric… and… neither… can… they"_

Somehow he knew that if the stuff it the ground, then it was game over.

Sebastian realized there was but one way to get rid of it. Unique to the Einzberns is their magic, wish granting, which requires very powerful Magi to really use effectively. That is why most of the family was artificial, and why he and his mother are Homunculi.

He had never tried this, and it'll probably kill him, but if that stuff can be converted into mana, then he was willing to try.

"Shielder?" he asked "You can still protect me from the corruption, right?"

She gritted out that she could.

"Excellent" he said "I'm going to absorb and deflect that mana harmlessly"

"But that's dangerous!" she replied, and almost lost control "You could die from that"

He was prepared for this.

But then his family came to the streets.

"Sebastian!" his Mother cried, and hugged him fiercely "Oh, my Sebastian" she sobbed, and would not let go.

"If you're going to do this, Master, make it quick" Shielder said "I can't stop this much longer"

Sebastian looked at them all; from his dad who hugged him and his mom, to his Grandparents who had come as well, and the girls, and Uncle Shirou, and Miss Tohsaka and Edelfelt, Bazett, Sella and Leysritt…

He realized that if this fails, none of them would survive.

"Kiritsugu" he said, which silenced them all "Help me keep them safe"

"What is your plan?" he asked, alert.

"I will absorb and use that black mud" Sebastian said "It really is what you have come to expect-corrupted mana that will burn the city for miles around"

His dad was quick on the uptake.

"Sebastian, you can't" he said "There must be another way"

Sebastian threw them all back using his barrier.

"Keep them safe, Kiritsugu!" he yelled, and summoned a magic circle.

"NO!" his mother screamed "STOP SEBASTIAN, PLEASE!"

"Release your shield" he told Shielder, ignoring the girls' protests, and his parents…because if he couldn't, then he would fail.

She had complied, and the muck passed through his circle…and changed.

"AHHHHHHGGGGHHHH" Sebastian yelled, even as the Black Mana invaded his body "AHHHHHGGGGGHHHH"

He positioned one hand to face the circle, and the other facing the mansion ruins, where he created another magic circle.

Electricity arced around him, forcing the others to retreat. A great big mana ball ejected out of the hand facing the ruins, and fired into said ruins-vaporizing the rubble on contact.

"AAAHAHHGAJHGHGGHH" he yelled incoherently, unable to move or think while the process continued. He had to burn through all that corruption into something that wouldn't destroy half the city.

The arcing became bigger, forcing them (including Shielder at this point) to move even farther back.

He was numb to the pain, numb to the wails of his Mom, numb even to his own thoughts and feelings. The Arcing was too much now, and started affecting the Reality Marble so much that it became weaker and weaker, just like him.

He was nothing now, nothing but a walking circuit, nothing but a conductor-a pathway from point A to B. It came to a point where he wasn't even that…and then finally, mercifully, gratefully-it had ended.

He lost consciousness.

" _You idiot! You could have died!" that voice said, the one from his other dream "You need to come up with a better plan than that"_

" _What could I have done?" he asked her, annoyed that he could not see, like before "I needed to save them"_

" _And what would I have done if you died?" the voice accused "How would we have met, how-how-"_

 _There was silence, but he swore he could hear quiet sniffling._

" _Are they all right?" he asked after a while._

" _They are fine" the voice said "Distraught at your foolishness, but otherwise normal"_

" _That's good" he sighed "I was worried"_

" _Everyone's more worried about you, you know" she said "Especially me-that was scary"_

" _Who are you, anyway?" he asked her._

" _Your soul mate-stupid" she scolded "Who else can talk to you through time and space-you don't need to answer that"_

 _She huffed._

" _Just don't get any ideas about that Shield girl" she said at last._

 _Sebastian chuckled, despite himself._

" _I don't think there's much of a chance with that, especially if the others are going to scrutinize me" he said._

" _Good" she said "I'll hold you to it, Love"_

 _Sebastian laughed._

" _So when will I meet you, anyway?" he asked._

" _Why would I answer that" she said "It'd take all the fun away, and you might not be too crazy about the details after you hear them"_

" _Are we always going to talk like this?" he was asking too many questions._

" _Talk like what?" she replied, puzzled._

" _With a blindfold over my eyes or whatever this is" he said._

" _Maybe until we meet" she said "I'll keep myself…to myself"_

" _Funny" he replied, dryly._

Sebastian opened his eyes, and looked around, and stared at Shielder. She didn't have armor on; just that jumpsuit thing that was too skimpy for outdoor use. Of course she didn't notice he was staring, as she was engrossed in a book of some kind. He appeared to be in a bedroom that was too big for him, and in a bed that was too comfortable to be in normally. The room was lavishly decorated, but the windows only had a view of Fuyuki…from high above. He was in a skyscraper…and there was three guesses as to who owned it.

"Oh, you're awake" Shielder put down the book and smiled "No one really knew when you were going to wake up, so they are off doing what needs to be done"

"What are they doing?" he asked.

"Most go to school, which is their last day, by the way" she said, and he shot up.

"How long have I been out?" he asked.

"About a week, Master" she said.

A week of missing school-like he cared for the end of the year, but even so, Luvia has signed him up.

His fear of missing school was trumped by his realization that Kimblee was nowhere to be found.

Kimblee…the Grail!

"Everyone's all right then?" he asked.

"For the most part" she said "Miss Edelfelt and Miss Tohsaka are downstairs with the others who didn't go to school. Your parents are worried sick, and it is only because of something serious that they are even gone"

"Serious?" he asked.

"The whereabouts of Solf Kimblee are as of yet unknown" she said, looking at him "There has been a search conducted while you were asleep, between them and the Mages Association"

Shielder put a hand on him when he tried to get up.

"I don't think that's a good idea" she said, and the door burst open.

"You!" Rin said, menacingly "I have words to say to you!" she pointed at Sebastian, and walked toward him, angry.

What exactly happened while he was asleep?


	21. Chapter 21

I am an Amateur,

Writing because it's fun, and because it's my talent.

Hoping that one day I can get good enough for an Original work.

It doesn't matter if it sucks now, if it gives me encouragement later…

Then I just have to keep at it.

-SoravsGoku123, on writing fanfiction

 **Chapter 21**

Rin Tohsaka glared at Sebastian.

"You made a promise to them!" she said "Idiot, you could have died!"

That's what she said.

"What else would you have had me do?" Sebastian asked.

"You could have let us help!" she said "There were six perfectly good Magi willing and able"

"That black stuff was corrupted mana" Sebastian said defensively "You could have died or worse"

Rin pointed at Shielder.

"You had her, Sebastian" she exclaimed "And she was perfectly capable of shielding us all"

"And I was likely to know that in the few seconds I had to save you all from the destruction that would have happened if that stuff hit the ground" Sebastian countered.

"She had it shielded" Rin said "You could have asked her"

"Miss Tohsaka-" Sebastian was interrupted.

"Would you stop calling me that already" she said "My name's Rin, okay?"

"Fine then" Sebastian thought that was a bit weird "I needed to do it, needed to know you would all survive"

"We could have helped, anyway" Luvia said, joining them.

"Your Mother was worried sick!" Rin admonished "She was crying for hours-she's dying Sebastian…or did you forget that?"

"Let's not forget the youngsters, either" Luvia inputted "They also spent a great deal of time hoping you'd recover. You made that foolish promise, and pulled that stunt-locking us out-"

"You're just angry because your pride was injured" Rin turned on her "That isn't the same thing"

"Oh?" Luvia looked at Rin "Let's not forget who it was that bragged that she wouldn't have gotten knocked out by the shock of all that mana passing through or the assumption that the kaleido sticks would have been better"

"Why you little-" Rin jumped on Luvia and they wrestled on the ground, effectively ignoring him.

"Can I get up, yet?" he asked Shielder.

"Are you well enough to move a lot?" she replied with a question.

"Let me try" he said, and she released her hold on his torso.

Sebastian eased himself out of the bed, and felt good-like really good.

"I feel great" he said, walking around and flexing his muscles. He looked directly out the window.

"Everything is fine then, Master?" she asked again, a different meaning underneath that question.

"There's no reason why I shouldn't be" he looked at her "I'm glad the City doesn't appear to be really damaged by that attack"

Sebastian used a little bit of magic, to test whether he could, and nodded at his full recovery of his mana levels. Well, except that which was being used for Shielder. He looked at where the command seals should be and was surprised they were not on his hand.

"Hey, Shielder?" he looked back up at her "Where are my Seals?"

"Oh, they are on your soul, as you acquired them while in the Grail" she said, and smiled "That means you can't use them unless you're out of your body"

Sebastian sighed. Why was he not surprised?

He tried to 'switch', only he found that he couldn't. Sebastian looked in the mirror that was in the room and tried again, without success.

"Sebastian?" Rin appeared to have stopped fighting with Luvia…and appeared to have calmed down. She sounded worried.

He looked at her, and Luvia, who had also looked solemn.

He couldn't use Alchemy-not the type that his dad could, anyway.

" _You… can't… escape… your… Fate… Elric…"_ A voice seemed to say.

"Sebastian" Rin looked sad, even as she said his name. They knew, they both knew…had they shown anger to distract him?

His pride and joy? His Alchemy was what made him unique-without that he was just an Einzbern with a different name.

And did that matter, anymore? It didn't matter before he came to this time, surely. But his being unique did…most places in the world didn't think anything of Blonde hair and blue eyes. His white hair? His red eyes?

All they did was stare. Not that Sebastian was a vain person.

And he didn't care about any of that, deep down.

He lost his physical connection to his dad, just as he was going to lose his mother.

That hurt very much, oh yes it did.

Sebastian ran out of the room before any of them could stop him. He heard their exclamations, but ignored them. He didn't want anyone to see him cry, not there, or over that.

His voice hitched, as he ran up the staircase. A few more flights and he was out on the roof; which he slammed the door and slid to his knees.

He cried openly; yelling his hurt and pain to no one in particular, screaming his hatred for Angra Mainyu and that fool Kimblee.

Sebastian had no idea how long he was up there for, or even what he was saying anymore; he just stayed there and let the grief of his mother and the loss of his ability wash over him until there wasn't any tears left.

"Are you okay, Master?" Shielder asked, sitting beside him.

He laughed lifelessly.

"You don't have to keep calling me Master, Mash" he said "I'm grateful for your help and all, but it'll be really weird having to explain to people that I'm not that kind of person"

"What kind?" she asked, mildly interested.

"Um, well-the kind that…uh-" suddenly he was embarrassed about it "You know what, never mind-just call me Sebastian, okay?"

"Yes" she smiled "I'll do that"

"It's getting later in the day, isn't it?" Sebastian asked her.

"The girls are back from school" she took out a book "It should be time for dinner soon"

Sebastian wasn't sure if he could face everyone after what Rin and Luvia said to him. He knew he was sure about food, though-despite being a Homunculus.

He had questions; things that needed answering and he needed a purpose. With School being over for Summer Break, there wouldn't be much to do until it resumes…and Sebastian was willing to bet that traveling through time wasn't an excuse to get out of School.

Solf Kimblee was still out there, and that guy was definitely paying for his crimes. Then there was that Yggdmillennia guy, who gave him a business card that he was supposed to burn. Sebastian privately committed to not joining that guy, but he didn't want to end up in a situation where someone burned the stupid thing.

That would make for a very awkward moment.

He remembered what he said to his sister, about meeting her on the bridge. That was about a week ago. Sebastian didn't think she'd be interested in meeting him there, but he'd have to see it through to the end.

He sighed.

"Something wrong?" Mash asked.

Sebastian looked at her. Truthfully he wanted to see everyone again, even more than he wanted to think about his enemies and what his next move would be.

"I want to see everyone" he said "But I'm hesitant about it"

"Because of that decision you made in the heat of the moment?" she closed her book…she probably read a bunch of that book waiting for him.

"I wasn't thinking straight" he said "And I might have overdone the absorption thing" Blowing apart the ruins of the mannor wasn't a very good decision.

"Sebastian, they want to know you're alright" Mash said "That's more important than the fact that you almost died. Besides, there wasn't enough time anyway"

Sebastian recalled the black stuff and shuddered.

"How is my mom doing?" he asked her "Is…is it bad?"

She thought about it.

"I'm not sure what to look for" she said "But your mom looks okay"

Sebastian stood up.

"It's probably time, isn't it?" he asked her.

"Better to not keep them waiting" she patted his back, and opened the door.

They walked back to Sebastian's bedroom and he found something better to change into (wearing white pajamas was kind of embarrassing…and it was better if he never found out how he came to wear them).

Mash led him down the hallway to a big conference room turned dining chamber. Everyone was already there: Little Illya sat on Kiritsugu's lap (a bit premature…but what did Sebastian know), Kuro was in between them and Irisviel, and Sebastian's parents were next to her. Shirou sat on the other side of Kiritsugu, and Sella and Leysritt sat next to him. Bazett sat on one side of the table (closest to Leysritt), next to Maiya and Auguste, who sat facing them and not the door that Sebastian had walked through.

Two seats from them were Rin and Luvia, who argued in undertones about something, leaving Miyu next to them (probably embarrassed by sitting close to their quiet fighting), and that left two empty chairs on the left side from the door.

"-so that's what we're doing" little Illya said happily.

"So the four of you will spend some time on the beach then" Shirou said "As it happens, I will be there along with Issei Ryuudou; we're planning on hanging out that day"

"And that will leave you to chaperone the girls" Irisviel said in her trademark voice "I expect you to do a good job"

"But Big Illya's going to be there too" he said, scratching his head "She could do the Chaperoning, right?"

"Yes, but it's my birthday too" she looked at Shirou "It's not every day I get to celebrate my birthday, you know"

Sebastian kind of forgot that his mother's birthday was coming up, with the whole time mix-up and everything.

"Oh, yeah" Little Illya said "It is your birthday too, huh. I think this birthday's going to be awesome" she got excited "Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy"

"Hey, watch it" Kiritsugu laughed "You're yanking on my tie"

"I think it's wonderful that there's going to be four birthday celebrations" Irisviel clasped her hands together.

"Yep" his mother said "And you'll never guess this, but Sebastian's is going to be a week later as well"

"Really?" Kuro asked "That's going to be so cool, I think"

"Yeah, he can join us, right?" Little Illya asked, excitedly.

"If he wakes up, Illya" Miyu spoke up.

The room was silent, and Rin and Luvia started fidgeting in their seats.

Sebastian silently sighed. Of course they never told anyone he woke up.

Mash stepped forward.

"I think he's awake" she interrupted the silence with an attempt at being funny, and everyone turned to the both of them.

"SEBASTIAN!" his mother jumped out of her seat and almost crushed him in a hug; his dad being a half a step behind her. She was shaking.

"I-I was-I was so worried" her voice sounded tight, like she was trying not to cry "After you st-stopped it, you were barely breathing…oh my son" she sobbed.

"I'm sorry mom" Sebastian said sadly "I did what I did with only seconds to spare"

"You did what I would have done" his dad said from behind her "You're options were limited and it worked out well; we're all still here, and so are you so don't sweat the small stuff. You stuck to your guns all the way, and I wouldn't have it any other way. That's what we Elric's do"

She let Sebastian go long enough for his dad to pull him in for a hug; trying to wipe her tears away in the process.

"Thanks, dad" he said when Ed went to sit back down.

The fullmetal Alchemist just gave him the thumbs up in return, smiling triumphantly. His mother hugged him again, somewhat calmer than a second ago.

"Please don't scare me like that again" she said.

"I'll try" Sebastian responded, and took his seat in between Mash and Miyu.

He looked at the others; Illya, Kuro, and Irisviel had tears in their eyes, which made Sebastian feel a little guiltier about the whole thing.

Kiritsugu nodded to him, and smiled a bit; and Shirou did the same.

"Thanks for keeping us safe" his uncle said.

Bazett and Maiya kept neutral expressions, but Bazett did regard him with a nod…which was unexpected.

Sebastian took a deep breath.

"Well, I think that went better than we thought, Rin" Luvia said.

"I suppose you're right" she responded "I expected a tearful reunion, though"

"That was scary" Illya said "I didn't know if he would ever wake up again"

"Yes, and if I remember correctly" Kuro added "You promised us you wouldn't die"

"Actually, I think the promise was to come back, isn't that what you said Illya?" Miyu asked.

"Well, I-ah" she was at a loss "I think I said that"

"That is exactly what I said" Sebastian didn't want this turned into a worse situation "And I did fulfill that promise"

"To a point" Rin said "You almost died right after you got out of the Grail"

"And you almost died while you were in the Grail" Luvia inputted "So you came close plenty of times to not fulfilling that promise"

"The goal was achieved regardless" Bazett said stoically "Does it matter how he did it?"

"If how he did it gives us a heart attack, it matters" his mom said pointedly.

"Well I think he did a good job, considering" Mash said.

"You're his Servant" Rin said "You kind of have to take his side"

"Not necessarily" Kiritsugu retorted "That's what the Command Seals are for. Keep in mind that a Master-Servant relationship is more of a contract than it is a form of slavery"

"This reminds me of the time you were agonizing over Grandfather's choice of Servant" Irisviel told Kiritsugu "That's actually a fond little memory"

"Please don't remind me" Kiritsugu mock groaned, and smiled "And I find that I agree with Shielder's assessment"

Sebastian watched the conversation steer towards happier things and sighed contentedly…this was his wish being granted after all.

They continued when dinner was served, and all through dessert as well, with his dad telling quaint little stories about his adventures in Amestris and around the country. The small talk made everyone happier and there was laughter when the girls finally turned in for the night. That was when things became a bit serious.

The meeting that was held that night was with Kiritsugu, Rin and Luvia, Bazett and Maiya, and Irisviel. Sebastian's dad also participated.

"We figured you would want an update on things that happened while you were recuperating" Mash said "So, you have the floor Sebastian"

He steeled himself with the first question he had.

"What happened with Kimblee?" he asked them.

"We kind of knew you would ask that" Kiritsugu said "He disappeared with the Grail…but we know he's alive"

"How?" Sebastian asked.

Kiritsugu looked at Maiya, and nodded at her. She took out a briefcase, and pulled a file from within.

"This is everything on the man named Solf J. Kimblee" she said and passed it to him.

Kiritsugu opened up the folder and took out a letter.

"It's for you, but we read it already" he said and handed it to Sebastian.

Sebastian looked at the document:

 _What a merry chase I led you on, Sebastian Elric. After all this time I finally won; finally got what I planned for. Despite everything you tried I hold in my hand a complete and perfect Philosopher's Stone. I wish I could send you a picture, but unfortunately I have things to do first. But don't worry; I plan on returning to finish what I started._

 _Angra Mainyu helped me get the Stone, so it's only fair that I help him escape. Progress and all that jazz, right._

 _Shame about you, though. You'll have to tell me what being a cripple feels like, when we meet again._

 _Make no mistake, little Alchemist…we will meet again._

 _-Crimson Lotus Alchemist_

"I didn't know he was the type to get revenge" Sebastian passed it back to his Grandfather, who put it in the folder.

"He isn't" Ed said "He's up to something completely different, and we need to know what it is"

"The question remains, Sebastian" Luvia said "How does he have that Stone?"

"I was wondering that myself" Kiritsugu said "Kimblee couldn't have made a wish, because Angra Mainyu would have been freed"

"Just what exactly went on in there, Sebastian?" Rin asked.

"Kimblee managed to make his wish; somehow they both figured that I would be able to do what I did, and planned for that" Sebastian said "When I saved the girls, the god of Darkness used a portion of himself instead, which was created in a world where the fourth Holy Grail War actually took place. You all saw Grandma out there, and you saw me fight her"

Sebastian looked at Irisviel.

"The Irisviel you fought was already dead" she said, to everyone's utter shock.

"How do you know this, Iri?" Kiritsugu asked.

"I heard the voice of Lord Justeaze, for the first time since before we escaped the castle" she said forlornly "She told me as much, that another man killed me before I united with the Grail"

Sebastian saw Kiritsugu grip the table tightly, though his face took on that cold mask.

"It was at that moment, that you also came in contact with Angra Mainyu" Sebastian said "You became him…and with that intimate knowledge and Kimblee's interference, another vessel was created"

"She became a heroic Spirit" Mash said "An Avenger like Angra Mainyu"

"Okay, so let's pretend we don't care about any of that" Rin interrupted, and the attention was on her "Why was he unable to escape?"

"Have you ever tried drinking the bottom of a glass of water before drinking the top?" Sebastian asked her.

"I'm sure she has" Luvia jabbed at her.

"Shut up, no I didn't" she crossed her arms threateningly.

"What's your point?" Bazett asked.

"The Holy Grail is ultimately a cup" Sebastian said "And I was the last thing to enter the cup"

"Wait, so you mean to tell me that the only reason Angra Mainyu couldn't escape was because the Grail acted like a cup?" Rin asked, incredulous.

"It seems we got off on a technicality" Luvia agreed, equally scandalized.

"Indeed" Kiritsugu said "We got lucky, but luck won't save us forever"

"There's something else" Rin said, shaking off the banter "We found the Grail chamber"

"The what?" Sebastian asked.

"The chamber that holds the Magic for the Greater Grail" Luvia said impatiently "We found it"

"Empty" Rin said at once "And the thief stole the Grail right after your fight"

"Well, we don't know that for sure" Kiritsugu said "The evidence points towards it being the case, however"

Sebastian's response was to put his head in his hands.

It definitely wasn't over yet.


	22. Chapter 22

It seems foolish now, but so much more important because of that,

That a King of the world should sit on the throne from which all other human monarchs emulate.

His nation built the great tower which provoked God to send mankind packing, each speaking a different language from the last.

His people held the known world because God allowed it, and became the first of many empires in result.

How does this one self-important king fit in all this-To force his people to worship him like the Most High?

One would say behold the Antichrist of the New World Order, and another would say: behold the Beast in all his glory.

The great world power of Babylon and its legendary first king…Gilgamesh.

I will say, pride was his downfall and his rise to an epic hero, the false king on his fake throne…Gilgamesh.

What do you say, then?

 **Chapter 22**

Sebastian walked through the city, unable to sleep until he went to the bridge. He had to fulfil a promise he made after all.

He thought about the last meeting that took place; and his conclusion was that the events that had happened were too coincidental to be unrelated. Kimblee had disappeared, and the Grail was stolen; and there was the matter of that last Class Card.

The Class Cards in the wrong hands would be disastrous…but even so, he didn't think Kimblee was after such things.

The final part of the meeting an hour ago was just Rin and Luvia asking for his assistance in getting to and beating the spirit of the card. Sebastian didn't really think they needed his help; indeed he thought there was an ulterior motive behind it, but he didn't say that to them. It was enough that he was helping, and it did spark curiosity within him.

Sebastian pushed those thoughts aside when he reached the bridge. It was deserted, despite the bustle of the night in the City.

That had unsettled him, because he asked her to arrive at this location for the hustle of the city-of a truth he didn't trust her.

He didn't think she was an enemy, not after she had declared that the Evil should be stopped; but he didn't think she was friendly either. It was just the vibe he had gotten from her when they first met.

Sebastian stood in the middle of the empty road, where traffic should be passing through and waited. He had the feeling he was being watched.

On another note, Sebastian had kept her existence a secret, even from Shielder. It would not do to have them asking questions, or pointing fingers…and he really didn't want to burden any of them with this other atrocity the Crimson Lotus Alchemist made in experimentation.

"So you're alive" a voice said.

Sebastian turned around, and there she was…mere feet away from him.

"I honestly expected you not to show up" he told her.

"I wasn't going to" she replied "But something almost destroyed the world, and I had to see it for myself"

Again Sebastian felt the cold become ice, even though it was a summer night. She sighed and crossed her arms, as if waiting for something.

"I beat Angra Mainyu, and stopped the destruction of the world" he told her.

"You bought some time, then" she said "But your troubles haven't ended, have they…brother?" her face was ice, devoid of any sort of emotion, like the surrounding area.

"Kimble has disappeared" Sebastian said "And the Grail has been stolen"

"I just said that you bought time, but I wonder…" she looked up at the sky.

"Mom is dying" Sebastian said "I just thought you should know"

She didn't appear to have heard him; for all that her gaze never left the sky. He didn't think she cared too much either way, but it wasn't right to leave her in the dark.

"I will tell you this, brother" she looked at him "Kimble isn't the thief, nor is he behind this latest development"

"And how can you be sure?" he asked her.

She smiled faintly, as if she thought his question amusing…and the air only got colder.

"Because that bastard isn't in this world anymore" she said snidely, which was the only real emotion that was coaxed from her "He took his prize and left as soon as he could"

"And you are sure of this?" Sebastian was concerned about how she got this information.

"Do I have any reason to lie?" she looked back up at the sky again "I want him dead, dear brother-make no mistake about that"

Sebastian glanced at the sky, and saw that it had begun to snow; again this was a _summer_ night.

"Are you doing that?" he asked her.

"It calms me" she said "To see the beautiful snowflakes"

He was honestly surprised, at this new development.

"Do you think it odd, brother, that I actually like something?" she was looking at him, and her icy grin felt somewhat out of place.

He ignored that comment, his anger at the fool Kimblee returned. She should be a baby right now, being cared for and doted upon…being loved. Instead she has probably only known anger and hate; it's possible she doesn't understand love as a concept, much less an emotion.

Kori. That's what she is…it's her name.

"Kori" he said sadly.

She looked at him; her red eyes softened just a fraction.

"It suits me just fine" she said, and turned to walk away.

"Wait" he said.

She stopped, and the wind blew a little harder towards him, but his sister never turned around.

"Make sure she sees it just once more" she said "I know she liked to play in the snow. You'll figure everything out in due time, _Sebastian_ "

"What do you mean?!" Sebastian started to run, but a gust of wind forced him back.

He looked once more, and no trace of his sister could be found.

It took a few minutes, but the warmth of summer came back to the area, and Sebastian was forced to give up on finding her.

He had wanted to meet her, sure. But on hindsight, he didn't know what he was expecting, with the cold, calculating way she had regarded him.

If she was telling the truth, then Kimblee wasn't the thief who took the Grail…whatever the thief actually took.

The lesser Grail manifested itself as a cup, yes; but he had yet to actually see what the greater Grail was.

She had the information, so she obviously was around to find out.

Sebastian turned around, and walked back to the skyscraper they were all staying at. He resigned himself to seeing the Grail chamber tomorrow, and to proceed from there.

The biggest thing on his mind was if the Grail wasn't taken by Kimblee…then who could have done it?

 **The Great nation of Babylon was done in by their own pride and arrogance; only a fool would have taken Holy Relics and used them for wine – unknown, on Babylon and the New World Order.**

Sebastian woke up groggily; having tossed and turned during the night since the meetings. The first thing he noticed was that Mash wasn't in her room, which branched off his own. Having dressed himself and toured the floor they were using as a house, he concluded that most of his family was already up and about the city.

Bazett and Kiritsugu were waiting for him, along with Maiya and his dad. They were in the conference room/dining room, in deep discussion.

"Where is everyone else?" he asked his dad.

"They went on a trip to a hot spring resort of some sort" Ed replied sheepishly "We're going to join them after you take a look at the Grail Chamber"

"Since you got up so late, you'll have to eat on the go" Kiritsugu adjusted his tie "Maiya has your food, and we have a car waiting for us as well"

"You could have woken me up" Sebastian sighed "That way we wouldn't have to take the detour"

"This detour is necessary" Maiya looked at him emotionlessly "Some of what we have to show you Kiritsugu didn't want the little ones to see"

"Where is Mash, then?" Sebastian asked "Shouldn't she be with us?"

"I suggested she drive them to the resort" Kiritsugu replied.

"Your Mother and Grandmother have a little too much in common" Ed chuckled a little "Some of which is their driving skills"

"They can get to the intended destination, Edward" Bazett said "As long as the goal is achieved, I fail to see what the problem is"

"And that is why you don't drive" his dad told her.

"Miss Edelfelt's butler took half of them anyway" Kiritsugu checked one of his handguns, and cocked it.

Sebastian shuddered at the memories of his mother driving in a car…and if her driving is an indication of Irisviel's-it's a wonder they even have licenses.

"After you, Sebastian" Kiritsugu pointed to the door.

And so they traveled to the extensive cave system Sebastian didn't know was in Fuyuki. Like everything else, it was once owned by the Tohsakas, before their family lost their land and fortune. The cave in question still had their name engraved upon it.

Sebastian washed his hands in the waterfall closest to the entrance (the breakfast he ate had syrup on it) and entered the cave after Bazett.

Kiritsugu took out a flashlight, and passed a few more around.

"It's better if magic isn't used here" he said "We have no way of knowing if there are any spells still around. The Tohsakas used this cave system for more than placement of the Grail, in the past"

Sebastian looked around at the place they were in; indeed wards and other spells were etched on the walls, doing who knows what purpose they were for. Of course he didn't know this place existed in the future…if only he had known.

"So where is this place exactly?" Sebastian asked, referring to the actual chamber.

"Through here, if you will" Kiritsugu had his gun out, which had Sebastian wondering what was here that had them all on edge. Even his dad looked ready for action, which was out of character for him.

They passed a few chambers, quickly, leaving Sebastian curious as to their contents; but what he saw next threw all that out of his mind.

There were visible exclamations on his dad's and Bazett's faces, even though Kiritsugu and Maiya remained emotionless through it.

The place was heavily decorated with Nazi regalia, which were at least WWII age. And much of the place was covered in blood and a dark mud of sorts.

"The dark mud can be explained" Kiritsugu picked up a bloody skull "But the rest of the gore…we still don't know what happened here"

"Was there more than one thief?" Sebastian knew he looked shocked, probably pale, but he needed to know "Is this blood the result of an internal conflict?"

"That's a good question" Kiritsugu took out a cigarette "I have no idea"

"The evidence of this chamber being the holding place of the Greater Grail" Maiya said "Is the presence of the corrupted mana in the area. The Nazis were here, but for some reason, they didn't succeed in whatever they were here for"

"The goal is obvious" Bazett said "They were after the Grail"

"What stopped them?" Sebastian asked, and looked at his dad "What had stopped the Nazis?"

"You would know that better than we do" Kiritsugu said "And I think that there's more to this than Kimblee taking the Grail"

"He didn't" Sebastian said at once. They all looked at him.

"Think about it" he told them "The Crimson Lotus Alchemist doesn't have too many allies-"

"That we know of" his dad interrupted "But who else could have taken the Grail?"

Sebastian sighed. He didn't know who could have except-

"Listen, I know this may sound crazy" Sebastian said "But I think the enemy isn't our current one or even a new one"

"What are you saying?" Ed asked.

"The last true Grail war to have been fought happened during the Second World War" Sebastian said "This Grail War was the worst one ever fought, and was the reason Angra Mainyu was created"

"Is he a part of this?" Kiritsugu asked, softly.

Sebastian shook his head.

"It's even older than Avenger" he said "There was outside interference" Sebastian gestured to the Nazi flags and discarded weaponry "The journal I read was based on the writings of a raving mad man-the Einzbern Master for the third war-but he also talked about things; little nuggets of what really happened in this war"

"Jubstacheit von Einzbern is dead" Kiritsugu said "I killed him myself"

"I'm talking about a man named Darnic Prestone Yggdmillennia" Sebastian said.

"I've heard of Yggdmillennia" Bazett said "They are a pocket of the Mages Association filled with inept and disgraced magi. But that man should be dead right now; you know how old he would be?"

Sebastian privately agreed, but pressed on.

"He led a band of Nazis, on orders of Hitler and the third Reich" Sebastian said "Their 'job' was to take the Grail and bring it to Germany to use as a weapon of war"

"How did Hitler find out about such a thing?" Ed asked "The Magi have kept themselves from the world for centuries"

"Adolf Hitler was after any advantage he could get against the Americans" Kiritsugu puffed his cigarette "It was common knowledge that he was afraid of them"

"He was after things like the Ark of the Covenant" Bazett said "And I'm not talking about the movie"

"Yes, it could be argued that the Nazis were into the Occult and the Supernatural" Sebastian said "There is even evidence that they were making atomic bombs"

"We're getting off topic" Maiya said "You were talking about Yggdmillennia. What evidence do you have that he took the Grail?"

"Outside of dead Nazis and the presence of fresh blood?" Sebastian asked "Only an intuition from running into him"

"The blood may not be from Yggdmillennia" Ed said, and Sebastian looked at him.

"You met Darnic himself?" Kiritsugu asked "When was this?"

"In Germany, just before finding you" Sebastian said "He knew I was an Einzbern…asked me to join his cause, and help change the Association. He introduced himself with that name-and he was at the airport at the time"

"There are many variables that I have to check" Kiritsugu said "But his being there on the eve of the summons was no accident"

"He would have the manpower to take the Grail, but that doesn't explain the blood and gore" Bazett said.

"Have you heard anything from the Association?" Kiritsugu asked.

"Nothing" she said.

"Okay, so if the Nazis reached this location, why didn't they take the Grail?" Ed asked.

"That part was left obscured" Sebastian said "Perhaps the reason is as simple as the Lesser Grail being destroyed"

"Or they didn't know what to look for" Bazett said "Who's to say the Grail was in a form the Nazis didn't understand, or that Yggdmillennia was misleading them"

Sebastian never thought about that. The Grail is a cup, that he understood…except.

"Outside of the Circle in the sky; has anyone seen the actual Greater Grail?" he asked them.

"No one who's probably alive has seen what the real thing looked like except-" Sebastian stopped and looked at them.

"The Holy Grail is a cup" he said "But what if it acted like one…but looked like something else"

"What do you mean?" Ed asked him.

"Well, until Grandmother Iri and my mother-and the failed Homunculi the Einzberns created, what did the Lesser Grail look like?"

"A cup" Kiritsugu said "I fail to see what you're getting at-" his eyes widened.

"You don't bury your treasure under a city and then perform an extensive ritual to 'summon' it" Sebastian said "We've been misled this whole time"

"What have you figured out?" Bazett asked quizzically.

"These" Kiritsugu too his right hand out and took off his glove. There, as if they were just given to him, was a pair of command seals.

"Everything that I know of the Holy Grail Wars involve some kind of ritual; some kind of seal" he said, and looked at Sebastian "There is mana stored in these, with a kind of spell designed to force a Servant to do your bidding. The Summoning of Servants is another such ritual, involving a specific Magic Circle. What are Magic Circles but seals in which spells are imbedded within"

"Many things involving Mana have some kind of 'seal'" Ed said, understanding.

"Correct" Kiritsugu said "What if the Greater Grail existed as a seal which stored mana until the ritual was complete?"

That was a very compelling argument.

"That would take some very serious magical theory to get right" Bazett said "No wonder the summoning turned into a fight"

"I have spent the last ten years erasing this 'magical theory'" Kiritsugu said; the only clue to his distress was his clenched fists "I want to be done with it forever"

"Could you have just destroyed the seals?" Sebastian asked "Wouldn't that have ended this whole thing?"

"And where would the Mana stored within go?" he responded "How many innocents would then be slaughtered in the resulting explosion?"

Sebastian couldn't answer to that.

"As it was, we couldn't find the location" Maiya said emotionlessly "The Tohsaka who helped us eradicate the knowledge of the Grail didn't know where the Greater Grail was"

"And even if we did" he finished his cigarette "How would we safely dismantle such a thing? Is such a thing even possible?"

Probably not without knowing the inner workings of the Grail, of which the only two who have that knowledge are in the Grail. Sebastian sighed as he thought on these things.

Whoever the thief was, it was a sure thing that he would attempt to use it…and if Angra Mainyu could contact Kimblee, then it's possible he could contact the thief as well.

"Well, they won't be able to use the Grail in Fuyuki" Bazett said "There is too much instability for that to happen, and the Grail is, that we know of, subject to a 'cool down' period"

"So it's another waiting game" Sebastian said.

"I intend on ending this before that point" Kiritsugu said "So our goal should be to find out where the thief is"

What he didn't say was that the person or people responsible probably won't be alive afterwards. And this time Sebastian agreed with him.

"Last question, and then I think we should get out of here" Ed said, to which the others agreed "These Nazis were here for sixty plus years, right? Is whatever happened to them the same thing that happened to these guys?" he gestured to the blood and gore everywhere.

"It does seem like they've been torn to shreds" Sebastian said.

"Ripped apart by blood magic" Kiritsugu said "That is what happened to these guys, but it may not have happened with the Germans"

"So are we in danger?" Ed asked "Should I be looking for an enemy?"

"I think it's safe to say the culprit's gone" Kiritsugu said "But there probably isn't a reason to be here anymore"

Sebastian took another look around the chamber-his sister's last words echoed like a horn in his head…

 _You'll figure everything out in due time, Sebastian._

He only hoped that was true.


	23. Chapter 23

Sinful?

Corrupt?

I don't understand your logic.

Why must pleasure and sin be connected?

Pleasure gotten through evil means could be a sin.

But pleasure can also result from good deeds.

What kind of philosophy calls pleasure itself a sin?

Isn't the foolishness of the few a more precious commodity than the wisdom of the masses?

There are those who were born human but harbor wishes that man was not meant for and have renounced their humanity in its pursuit.

There are two kinds of arrogance.

One where you are unequal to the task and one where your dreams are too big.

The former is commonplace stupidity... but the latter is a rare species that is difficult to find.

-Gilgamesh, King of Babylon

 **Chapter 23**

Sebastian was amazed.

His dad had a place to show him, one that he had visited in the past. Apparently it was at this specific hot springs that the family wanted to visit. How the world is really small…

"I used to meditate here" he said as he looked at the place. It was nothing special, just a small pool of water with a giant rock as a backdrop.

"Why did you, Dad?" he asked Ed, who scratched his head sheepishly.

"It really calmed me at first; strictly speaking, I was afraid. Not just of being in a new world by myself, but of my brother Alphonse, and Winry, and all of my other friends" he said "I also took your mother here once…" he smiled at the fond memory.

That was awkward.

"Well, Dad" Sebastian said "I got to see it…and while I can agree with you on its-well, good memory, er-"

Sebastian lost his train of thought.

"I'll leave you to it, then" he turned to leave.

"Wait, Dad" Sebastian said "I want to enjoy the Hot Springs too, you know"

"Just give it a try" Ed patted him on the back "Please, for me…I know you're still put out by losing your Alchemy ability, and I know this will surely cheer you up"

He waved as he left.

"Stay one hour, then you can come with us, just give it a go!"

Sebastian just stood there, like he was slapped in the face. He'd have to check and make sure he didn't imagine last night at the bridge or today's cave exploration with the amount of unanswered questions he now had. He looked at the small pool of water, and touched it.

It was warm to the touch.

"Well, I suppose a little quiet won't hurt me" Sebastian was about to get undressed for the pool when he heard a splash.

He looked at the pool…and it was empty.

"Probably just a fish" he decided, and was about to enter the water when he heard another.

"I'm going to ignore it" he said, and was hit with a blast of water.

"Okay, who is there?" he was annoyed now.

"I am, of course" a person with a blueish disposition rose from the water.

"What are-" Sebastian stared at the water constitution of its body before he realized what he was looking at…a nature spirit.

"You're an elemental" he said.

"Bingo" the water spirit replied, and raised his hands, which caused a film of some kind to appear everywhere instantly "Now that I have closed us off; how about a little match?"

"Are you here to kill me?" he asked it.

"If I told you, would it matter?" he said, and attacked with water.

This water hit Sebastian, and burned him, but not permanently so.

"Ouch, that's hot!" he exclaimed.

"I'm looking forward to this" he said, and created shards of ice, which Sebastian tried dodging.

"Why is the ice hot!" he yelled, and looked at the annoying spirit.

The elemental in question morphed once more…until it looked like Sebastian. White hair and all; and that had served to freak him out more than anything else.

"I like to think that this will make you a better person" the thing spread his arms wide, which served to make a funnel of hot water "Either that or I'll burn you to death, but we'll see, won't we?"

And he flung it at Sebastian, who took one look at the funnel and ran a hundred and eighty degrees the other way.

Through the woods he went; thinking all the way on how to separate this nature spirit from his source of power, while at the same time asking himself why this even happened. It wasn't long before he reached a settlement of sorts…and it was deserted for the moment, which was perfect for him.

"Scatter shot!" he threw a Magic Circle behind him, and without watching, the Circle began its attack.

"You'd have to do a better job, boy" the nature spirit and his funnel of water (circling him in the air like a giant halo) had made it ahead of him.

Sebastian projected a shotgun, and dashed down an alley way. The elemental followed him, raining Ice and water towards Sebastian without breaking his attack.

Gripping the shotgun in one hand, Sebastian fired a Prana Cannon at a rooftop, which served to slow the elemental; and he used his magically charged shotgun as a mini cannon, which blasted that halo everywhere.

"That should serve a suitable distraction" Sebastian huffed as he ran away "Now I need to find out what the Heck's going on here-and I bet my Dad knows the answer"

He yanked a few hairs out, and transfigured them into birds magically.

"Find me Edward Elric!" he shouted, as the elemental blasted the equivalent of a fireman's hose at him.

Sebastian summoned his barrier, and ran in the direction of the birds. It wasn't long before he jumped into another pool of water…enclosed and divided by buildings and fences. Again it was empty.

Sebastian saw his creations go beyond the fence that separated two pools and disappear…but he was sure there was no one on the other side. Before Sebastian could take a look, however, the elemental jumped into the water.

"You just led me to another source" he looked around, giving Sebastian the opportunity to plan an attack "This'll be an interesting fight"

"I really don't want to fight right now" Sebastian said, curling his fingers into fists "I want to relax and have fun"

"Fun is a relative term" the Elemental smiled a smile that Sebastian hoped he'd never have on his face; it looked really creepy.

The elemental rid himself of the film that had surrounded the area.

QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ

They were all having fun in the spring, talking about good memories and voicing interesting thoughts about recent events and what they could do together. Everyone had thanked Luvia Edelfelt for the opportunity to visit the place for free; she had requisitioned it for the day, privately.

On the other side, the guys were laughing at some joke probably; enjoying the spring as well.

To top it off, there wasn't a threat to take care of yet, not until they got to the eighth class card. Of course that all changed when Sebastian Elric appeared on the wrong side of the spring…and all hell broke loose.

QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ

Sebastian pushed the elemental to the fence, unaware of the change inflicted in the surroundings.

"I'm getting tired of your shenanigans, elemental!" he yelled, which caused the elemental's face to brighten mischievously even more "Now I have tracked down my father to this pool; and the damn thing's empty. So you are going to tell me what is going on here"

"You led me to another water source effortlessly" the elemental said, and it sounded like Sebastian "Which you wouldn't have done if you just fought me like I wanted you to"

The elemental raised his hands in the air, and another funnel appeared.

"Perhaps this is a dream" he said snidely "Wake up, and you'll be by the pool that your dad said was a good meditative spot"

Sebastian thought that if this thing was a dream, then it wasn't a very good one-he had of course read about different spirits; heroic spirits, nature spirits, demonic spirits, etc. None of the instances that he encountered such beings was something he thought worth remembering fondly…Mash aside, he really didn't have good experiences with Spirits.

Not that he had that many to begin with.

"No" the elemental said "You know better than that, don't you" he held his right hand toward Sebastian and hot Ice spikes shot out of the funnel, and into Sebastian's path.

Sebastian used his barrier, which flattened the spikes, and then charged his mana in response. He held his hand in front of him and a Magic Circle appeared.

He fired, just as the elemental used the full force of his funnel of water.

The mana vaporized the funnel instantly, and blew a hole into the fence. That had surprised the Nature Spirit.

"There's just no way…that you're human" he said, shocked.

"Just found that out, have you?" Sebastian retorted, and charged the Magic Circle in front of him "Whether you were bored or not was irrelevant, elemental. I really didn't want to fight so soon-but enjoy oblivion!"

Another funnel appeared and headed for the roof top of whatever this place was, as Sebastian finished charging the Circle. The elemental disappeared and reappeared on the roof; having morphed into someone else.

Sebastian dropped the Circle, letting the mana dissipate.

"Are you running away so soon?" Sebastian enquired.

The elemental laughed.

"I may not be human, but even I know that's not a good sign"

Sebastian was tapped on the shoulder, and he turned to an angry Rin. She sported a bikini…which at the moment complemented her reddened face.

"This is the wrong side, idiot" she gritted, hands clutched.

"You should have just fought me in the woods" the elemental chuckled, and disappeared.

"Aww ha ha ha ha" Luvia laughed delightedly, also in a bikini "But this opportunity is perfect. Sebastian has unwittingly revealed our quarry"

"Quarry?" Illya asked, puzzled.

"Sebastian, um…you know that is the wrong side, right?" Shirou poked his head through the hole, and was hit in the face with a bottle of lotion.

"No peeking, Shirou" Rin complained.

"Yes, I'm quite well aware this is the wrong side" Sebastian said "Now where is my dad? He was the one that led me to that silly pool"

"Ed is on the other side" his mother said "Where the other boys are"

"Let bygones be bygones" Luvia declared "Now you were talking about a pool?"

"Oh no, Kuro!" Illya cried "What's wrong?"

Everyone turned to where Kuro was almost passed out.

"M-My mana…is-is low" she managed.

"Um…What?" Sebastian was worried.

"Quick girls" Irisviel said hurriedly "Get her out of the pool"

Sebastian brushed past them and carried the faint girl out of the spring water.

"N-No Sebastian" she said "You can't…c-come near me"

He set her down at the edge, and let her recover.

"What the hell is going on?" he turned to them.

"It's that elemental" his mother said before anyone could so much as breathe "He takes the prana right out of people and that's the real reason why we're here…right Rin Tohsaka?"

"B-but how?" she asked, surprised.

"I've seen some of this before" she hugged herself sheepishly "Except the first time around, my son didn't find the problem…Ruby and Sapphire did"

"Oh, that's right" Illya turned to her older self "You've already done all this"

"Shouldn't you be leaving soon, Sebastian?" Irisviel said mischievously "You are on the wrong end of the pool"

"Oh, he's alright, mom" his mother sighed "It's my husband's fault more than it's his, anyway"

"It is not my fault" his dad called from the top of the fence, his face set a little guiltily.

Rin threw another lotion bottle at him.

"Would all of you just get to the other side already!" she yelled.

"Illya…Miyu…" Kuro said hoarsely "I…need…prana"

"Um" Illya's face was red "Can you do it for me this time, Miyu?"

The other girl's face was also red.

"R-right now?" she asked.

"Is Kuro going to be okay?" Sebastian asked "And someone please tell me what this has to do with that water spirit?"

Rin looked murderous.

"Okay, Sebastian. You found our target…that's great" she said sarcastically "But if you don't get to your side in five seconds, you will be worse than Kuro and no one's going to kiss you better"

Sebastian was thrown off by that last sentence.

"Okay…what?" he looked at them.

"Rin!" Illya yelled exasperated.

"Aww ha ha ha ha" Luvia laughed mockingly "I can't believe you let that slip"

Rin growled.

"Out! Out! Out!" she shoved Sebastian through the hole "And Illya, help Kuro-please!"

Sebastian sighed tiredly…and noticed his dad hiding behind Shirou and the Butler.

Kiritsugu was enjoying another cigarette.

"Sebastian?" the Fulmetal Alchemist asked timidly "It was just a little fun, right?"

Sebastian looked at his dad a little crazily, and realized he was still in his clothes…

"Yeah" he said roughly "Just a little fun"


	24. Chapter 24

Mongrels…the Lot of them,

Forgetting their place beneath me.

Perhaps I will teach them what my people remembered…

It is unwise to cross the King of all Heroes.

-Gilgamesh, King of Babylon

 **Chapter 24**

"And that is why we're really here" Luvia sipped her tea.

They were gathered in the cafeteria; and since Luvia had reserved the whole place privately for a few days (and had the money to do such a thing), the staff devoted themselves to making sure every commodity was given to their guests.

Except for Sebastian, this was well received.

"How in the world did you have time to set this up?" Sebastian enquired "It's summer vacation for goodness sake, and it's a lot shorter here than in America!"

"She just got done explaining the mission, and that's the first question you have?" Kuro smiled mockingly "You must not have had much experience 'living the life' as it were"

"Excuse me if I liked a peaceful life" he replied gruffly and sighed "The last time I had the 'royal' treatment, I was left in a dead village and almost blown up by a pyromaniac"

"Well I used to wash this woman's floor everyday" Rin pointed out "It's not as peaceful on the other side as you think it is"

"Now children" Irisviel chimed "It is impolite to complain at the table"

"I'd listen to her if I were you" Ed patted Sebastian's back "She's worse than Colonel Mustang on a good day when she's riled"

"Well, for your information, Sebastian" Luvia smiled intently "A lady is not a lady if she can't get things done-I would be a poor steward of my father's money if I couldn't rig up a little relaxation at a place my family owns"

And that explains everything.

"You couldn't have just told us the Mages Association gave you both another job?" Annoying code asked "Lady Illya and myself could have done it in an hour"

"Less than that with me involved" Miyu agreed "And anyway, didn't Illya say Ruby and Sapphire found the spirit the first time around?"

"Well, then it was just a magical anomaly" she pointed out "It wasn't a Spirit or anything"

Everyone looked at the Fullmetal Alchemist.

"Okay, so I found it and didn't tell anyone else that it attacked me" he said sheepishly "It caught me off guard, and I was dating Illya back then…not a very good impression to admit that water defeated you-considering her whole family pretty much could wipe out ten of them in one shot"

"Yet you saw fit to set it on your son?" Kiritsugu raised an eyebrow "Not a very good impression to set on your future self, I think"

Irisviel elbowed him playfully.

"Dad" little Illya hid her face, embarrassed.

"We're kind of getting off topic here" Luvia said good-naturedly "But it's nice to see a little bonding going on"

Sebastian put his head on the table.

"You've been silent this whole time" Sapphire enquired at Mash "What do you think?"

"I think it is here, watching us" she replied seriously "And if this thing wants prana like it did earlier with Chloe, then it's looking at a feast"

That shut everyone up.

"Why was Kuro affected, anyway?" Sebastian asked, curious.

"Remember when we officially met?" she looked at Sebastian.

"Was that the first or second time you tried to kill me?" he looked at her, and all eyes went to the darker Illya.

She cocked her head.

"It was the second time" she nodded "When you ended up using a side table as a shield and talked about Swiss cheese"

"Really?" Rin asked lamely "You were in a life and death situation and you talked about Swiss cheese?"

"I had a lot on my mind" Sebastian said defensively "Like whether or not my next move might have destroyed time itself, for instance"

"Wow though" annoying code was annoying "Almost offed by your own mother; talk about living on the edge"

"Well, wait a minute-" Sebastian began, but was interrupted by Rin beating up on the wand.

"That was a very insensitive comment" she gritted "Stupid code, in front of everyone too"

"It's not like I knew at the time" Kuro crossed her arms "Anyway, the point is-I'm half of Illya. Pretty literally as a matter of fact; and if I lose all my prana…then I disappear" the last part was spoken softly, as if it was a sad subject "I don't want to disappear"

"And this thing just sucks it up, huh?" Sebastian clenched his fists.

"It is most definitely the source of the disturbance at this hot spring" Luvia confirmed "And we found it without Mystic codes"

"Yeah, a lot of help they were" Rin agreed.

"The thing about nature spirits" Mash intoned "Is that they have to return to their place of rest, frequent enough that as long as we stay away from water until it leaves; then we could face it at its most vulnerable. Destroy the resting place, and it dissipates permanently"

"Yeah, guys" Shirou grabbed their attention "That's easier said than done"

It was raining.

"Figures" Sebastian scoffed.

"It doesn't matter" Luvia said brightly "We have the weekend"

As it turned out, the rain stopped sometime in the night. Sebastian dressed quietly and snuck out of the boys room (Somehow Kiritsugu and Edward were still sleeping soundly).

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Mash asked quietly.

"The damn thing was sucking the mana out of her, Mash" Sebastian answered in kind "And I find I want a rematch. Dad deserves to be embarrassed a little bit, and if I one up him, then Mom and the others would make sure he gets it"

"But it didn't end well the last time, and Rin still isn't too happy with you" she admonished.

"That is exactly why I need to do this alone" Sebastian was adamant "If they wake up the next day less one elemental, then they'll probably be a bit happier…maybe"

Sebastian was asking a lot if they were anything like their future counterparts, as unflattering as that might be.

Sebastian snuck out of the Spring sleeping area with his Heroic Spirit following in shadow form. He needed a small light spell to find the path a few times, but he arrived at the pool of water about a half hour after midnight.

"I didn't expect to see you so soon" the elemental still looked like Sebastian.

"You wanted to fight so badly" Sebastian raised a hand and a magic circle appeared "You wanted prana just as much I hear. So here's a little present"

He shot a beam of mana at the nature spirit only to find that he disappeared.

"Behind you" he heard his voice slightly before he heard Mash's.

Sebastian was punched in the water.

"This actually feels a bit better than your shape did" her voice emanated out of the elemental as it drew a funnel of water out of the pool "But the extra weight is killing me"

It lost the armor and threw more ice spikes at Sebastian.

"That's better…more nimble, less weighty" it laughed "You weren't so bad yourself, though"

Sebastian dodged more ice spikes, but was hit with one or two of them.

"Why is it always hot!" he complained.

The elemental stopped and started on another stupid retort before a fist went through its head.

"Are you okay?" she asked Sebastian.

"I'll be better later" he said, throwing a barrier around them both as a torrent of water shot towards them.

"You know that's never worked" the elemental pulled Sebastian into the pool.  
Mash screamed his name and dove in, only to be thrown out by a pillar of water.

He tried escaping, but every time he was close to the surface, it would drag him deeper. His mana was being drawn upon as well…it was going to feed on him and drown him.

"Fighting it will only make things worse" the water spirit cooed in his ear.

A chain suddenly wrapped around him and yanked him out of the water. His mother was using the Ryder Class Card.

"Mom?" he sputtered, trying to get out all the water.

"You're grounded until your Birthday for this, young man" she declared, brandishing her chains "Out past bedtime and drowning in water-this elemental is no joke, Sebastian"

"Aw, cut him some slack already" his dad came up right behind her, trailed by the horse Noble Phantasm "He just wanted to show one up me, that's all"

"And get a gravestone for all that trouble" she snapped back "If I have to bury my son in the short time I have left, I'll die from the grief"

"I was so close too" the spirit complained.

"Get behind me" she told Mash and Sebastian "I'm going to show this thing my 'eyes'"

"You have more than enough" it decided, drawing another funnel out of the pool "I'll take you down instead"

She removed the blindfold and threw the point of the chain into it; however, without the desired effect.

"I thought Medusa was supposed to petrify anyone it sees?" Ed asked.

"Apparently not" Mash replied.

"But it made the thing solid" Sebastian said, oddly satisfied.

The Elemental was thrown angrily into the trees surrounding it, and smacked into the rock behind it.

"That. Was. My. Son!" she threw it over and over into the rock.

"And that's a far cry from exploding mana everywhere" a voice spoke behind them "If only she did this when we were collecting the Class Cards"

"Hello Rin" Sebastian greeted; not able to tear his gaze away from the carnage "If my parents were awake, I knew it was only a matter of time before you showed up"

"Says the kid who snuck out of bed" she remarked.

"We're about the same age right now, you know" he replied shrewdly.

"Yeah, but you're the one with the 'forty year' stick" she said smugly "Aren't I like…old that far into the future?"

"Probably an old maid" Luvia walked up behind them both.

"Oh, so you're both awake as well" Ed waved at them "You're just in time, actually"

"Oh, that's it!" Rin exclaimed "I am not going to be an old maid, you got that?! If anything, you'll be too stuck up to settle down"

"A lady isn't 'too stuck up' about such things" Luvia countered "I'd like to think I'll mother beautiful children, and spoil them religiously"

"Actually you're pretty strict with your grand kids" Sebastian remarked casually, before he could stop himself.

"R-Really?" Luvia asked.

"Guys, I hardly think this is the time" Mash piped up.

"You can't be serious" Sebastian looked atop the rock, to the elemental that not only freed himself, but now looked like his mother who was still using the Ryder Card.

"That was a brilliant show of strength" it remarked, sounding like Illya "I know you're mad about the whole water thing, but that's kind of what I do"

She growled.

"Hey, Illya" Ed said, placating "Maybe I should give it a shot"

She charged the water spirit, chains in hand, and began using them like a cross between daggers and iron knuckles.

"Dad" Sebastian gestured, suggesting that his help was necessary.

"Yeah, I know" he replied "I just like to stay out of the way when she gets like this. I mean, it only happened a handful of times in all our years together, but…"

"Dad" Sebastian repeated.

"Right" he removed his shirt and clapped his hands together, before setting them on the ground, which catapulted him into the elemental.

"Okay, how did he do that?" Luvia was more surprised than the others.

"The pool of water is actually a spring" Sebastian commented "Probably as a result of the Nature Spirit living here, most of the water is stuck in the ground. I was wondering this myself; why the water's always scolding hot…he keeps it to himself, and uses the temperature to his advantage when he fights"

"That's right, nature spirits are tied to the land they live in" Rin said.

"Then this is a problem" Luvia said "If this spirit is tied to the spring and not just a pool of water, then how do we defeat it?"

"The **Kaleidosticks" Rin said "They should provide enough mana to destroy the spring or alter it just enough to dissipate the Spirit"**

 **"** **I've actually been meaning to ask you about them" Sebastian said "Usually the little ones are where you two are, right?"**

 **"** **Um, well, they kind of help us out" Rin said guiltily.**

 **"** **They're awake, aren't they?" he asked her.**

 **"** **Watching the battle, actually" Luvia said.**

 **"** **Arrived right after I did, really" Rin confessed.**

 **"** **And if they're up…Grandmother most certainly knows" Sebastian said.**

 **"** **About that-" they were interrupted by a speeding car that crashed (relatively unhurt) into a tree about ten feet from Sebastian. The door was kicked out.**

 **"** **Having a little trouble with that water guy?" Irisviel asked sweetly…to which Sebastian remained speechless.**

 **"** **She's worse than mom" he finally said.**


	25. Chapter 25

"It is your own fault they're all gone" he told the golem.

"My fault?" was the reply.

"You decided that deception was better than honor, and you care even less for the consequences than most of the mages I killed" he pointed his gun at the reason for his distress.

"But you killed them, Emiya, not I" the golem chuckled despite his inevitable demise "I gave them all life. In fact, the doll you became infatuated with was my best creation"

"The only good you have done-and one that wasn't even your work in the end" he retorted "You would have me sacrifice her to the end of all things-your selfishness that wouldn't even help you in the end"  
"And you would have pulled that trigger happily a few months ago" more chuckling "Tell me Mage Killer; is it the world you are truly saving? Or is it a more personal goal?"

"My daughter won't be responsible for bringing darkness to the world" the Mage Killer shot the golem "And my wife won't need to either-your goal is over, _Elder_ "

Gurgled laughter.

"I…wonder…" the golem rasped "If…Irisviel…won't…do…you…in…in…the…end"

 _The way you betrayed me_ he seemed to say.

The Mage Killer put his gun away and felt her, them both, by his side. His family-his world.

"If it comes to that…I have no regrets" he finally said.

 **Chapter 25**

"Remind me to never get into a vehicle with her at the wheel" Luvia looked scandalized.

"Ditto" Sebastian replied.

"Ah, it seems Illya really packs a punch" his grandmother's smile got wider and turned back to the group watching the fight "You didn't help my girls break curfew over this, did you?"

"No, actually Sebastian broke curfew first" Rin said quickly.

"Yeah, and apparently I'm grounded" he replied, suddenly irked.

"Oh, it's not so bad" his grandmother said happily "If it was me, your punishment would be worse"

"Let me guess, a mana punch right on the head" Sebastian said sarcastically "I'm not a little kid anymore"

"Y-you mean that's a punishment?" it was Rin's turn to look scandalized.

"We're able to handle it" Iri told her "Part of being artificial, dear"

"And I thought it was normal" Sebastian's head drooped.

"How could you think that's normal?" they both said at once.

He shook his head, and watched the battle play out.

The Fullmetal Alchemist had the elemental bound within itself while his wife constructed a spell to cage it temporarily.

"See, that didn't take long" he told her, as she fixed the blindfold over her eyes.

"My body is tiring" she said "There is something wrong with me, and it's not just my deterioration"

Sebastian already knew what the problem was; at least, he thought it was the pregnancy his sister spoke of. He had almost forgotten about that.

Was it possible that they still didn't know?

"What would happen if you ended your install?" Ed asked her.

"That thing would escape, and we'd be back at square one" she turned to Sebastian "I think I can hold it for a few more minutes, so we'd better figure out how to go about destroying that resting place"

"Mom" he mourned.

"I am still upset with you" she said "Didn't you learn your lesson about working as a team?"

"But-"

"I won't have it" she was stern "When we get back to Fuyuki; you will learn about what it means to be in a team-it's what kept me alive for as long as I've been, and I swear it'll be second nature to you when I finally die"

"Yes, ma'am" he answered.

"Now, Rin" she looked at them (she knew where they were despite the blindfold) "Luvia, I know what'll easily work. Can you both grab Ruby and Sapphire, and blast this pool. It sort of worked the first time-but I think a little oomph is necessary this time"

"Not entirely Magecraft accurate, but the girls are already here" Luvia said "Oh Miyu, Illya!"

There was a small rustle in some bushes and a muffled yell, but the three girls eventually walked out of the woods and into the clearing, embarrassed and guilty.

"Oh Kuro, Illya!" Iri smiled and waved "Momma's gonna punish you later for being out of bed at a time like this-but could you look cute and blow up this guy over here for me?"

"That is seriously not the way I'd have said that" Rin sighed "But we have a small time limit guys so-"

She gestured to the barrier cage that the Ryder class magic created.

Little Illya and Miyu transformed.

"Oh that's precious" the elemental said "Let the little kids finish me off, how noble of you"

"You started this" Rin said "It's only fair that we finish it"

"To be honest" it said "I was really only after fighting that guy"

It pointed at Sebastian.

"That and the Prana, of course" it's eyes gleamed.

"Yeah, about that" Luvia said "You almost made Kuro disappear"

"It wasn't my fault she's such a fragile construction" it replied "I didn't even know"

"I don't know what I was expecting" Rin said "Okay, girls. You know what to do"

"Right" they said, and rose from the ground.

"Charged and ready to go" Annoying code said energetically.

"One hundred percent, Lady Miyu" Sapphire said coolly.

The girls pointed the wands at the pool and fired.

It was over in a few minutes.

"Well, that went better than I expected" Ed said sheepishly "But I kind of pity the poor guy; except for Illya, he was rather harmless"

"Says the guy who was beaten by him before" his wife nudged him before ending her install. She took a step before crying out.

"Mom!" Sebastian ran to her, as his dad slid her to the ground and on top of him.

"Are you alright?" he asked her.

"I'll be fine" she told them as the others joined them "I-I just used too much mana at once. Sorry for making everyone worry"

"Dad, what's she saying?" Sebastian looked worried.

"It's your mother's condition" he said "She's deteriorating; this is actually normal-or so I'm told"

Would it be a good time to tell them?

Sebastian turned away, hiding his guilt ridden face.

Kimblee did this…but…but.

He could not make things worse by telling them about Kori-his sister. Sebastian wondered if the one inside his mother was the exact same as Kimblee's experiment. It didn't matter.

She would be suffering either way.

"No, Sebastian" she tugged at his hand "Don't blame yourself for this; I could have as easily been hurt by casting a mediocre spell"

It hurt so much.

"Irisviel" Ed picked up his wife "Could you sit back with her while I take us back to the Resort living area"

"Of course I will" she said sweetly "We can't fit everyone in the car, though"

"Oh that's no trouble, Miss Irisviel" Luvia said "Rin and I can walk"

"Sebastian and I can make it back as well" Mash spoke up "Take the little ones"

"Mom" he managed, sadly.

"This isn't serious, Sebastian" she said comfortingly "Just don't worry about it, really. Remember teamwork"

"I will" he said.

What a teammate he was already-leaving out important information.

Kimblee will pay.

He watched them leave in the car, before he was beset by Rin and Luvia.

"You're hiding something, I can tell" Rin said.

"You know me so well" he responded sarcastically.

"It's written all over your face" Luvia agreed.

Sebastian started walking back.

"You're not going to tell us?" Rin called back and caught up to him.

"It's nothing" he said.

'Forgive me guys'

"It didn't look like nothing back there" Luvia intoned "It looked a lot worse"

"I'm allowed a few secrets here and there" he said dejectedly.

"Yes, but generally when children keep secrets, entire neighborhoods aren't wiped out by apocalyptic, inhuman freaks" Luvia responded.

"Can you just let this go?" he turned to them.

"What do you think, Mash?" Rin asked her "Should we force him to give up the dirt?"

"If it was life threatening, I would think he would share it with us" she said "I don't sense that from him"

"It isn't" he huffed "At least it won't affect the outcome"

"What outcome?"

"You know" he looked at Rin "Don't you dare tell me you don't"

"I…well-" she fell silent "Will this affect your helping us with that last card?"

"It won't" Sebastian turned, and started walking "And I don't understand why you need me when you've done just fine before"

"We're not going to use the girls" Luvia said.

Sebastian paused again.

"And why not?" he turned back to them.

"Miss Irisviel and her husband know about them, and us, and fighting the class cards" Luvia said "It wouldn't be right to use them under their noses, and with the mess we were just in, and we barely survived that by the way, well…"

"It's just one card" Rin said "And besides, we have a Heroic Spirit to help us. Between the four of us, it should be no problem"

"With the way you and your mother have used the previous cards, without using a Kaleidostick as a medium for the summons" Luvia said "You might actually be better than they would anyway. Miyu and Illya don't know enough about Magecraft to help without the wands and cards"

"You're underestimating them" Sebastian retorted "Plus we have Kuro as well"

"That is true, at least the part about Kuro" Rin nodded "But then there is still the fact that their parents have returned, and Mr. Elric too. And with big Illya around to tell everyone what happened already, they may put two and two together and ban them from helping anyway"

"But you still have Miyu; she isn't their child, strictly speaking we could still take her along?"

"Which will provoke Illya and Kuro to help as well" Rin said "You are fighting us on this; are you chickening out?"

"No" Sebastian said curtly "It's just-well, I'm only six years older than them at the moment, I'm trying to understand your reasoning"

"Um, incase you haven't noticed" Luvia said "We're about the same age right now. Besides, with your mother wanting you to use teamwork, and your father being so carefree about everything-"

"He is not carefree" Sebastian interrupted.

"-you would essentially have permission to step up" she finished.

"Sebastian, I think this is the best outcome" Mash said "No doubt the others would have learned of their original intentions, and will voice their concerns"

"I know this" he said "I just really didn't want to change too much, you know"

"And we're back to Mr. Future" Rin held her head like she acquired a headache "We were doing so well before"

Sebastian sighed and continued walking back to the Hot Springs. This was a long night.

The rest of the weekend actually passed normally; Illya recovered enough to participate along with everyone else, and even orchestrated some of the friendly banter Sebastian came to love so much with his family. He actually had some fun, and well deserved rest. The only ones that weren't having fun strictly speaking was Maiya and Bazett; who didn't even show up at the Resort (Kiritsugu had them digging up dirt on Yggdmillennia, while keeping an eye out for Kimblee).

True to her word, his mother resolved to 'teach' him teamwork, and when they returned to the skyscraper in Fuyuki that Luvia requisitioned partially as a home (while the Einzbern home and Edelfelt Manor was rebuilt), she put her threat to work.

"It was nice of Luvia and her company to set this up" she remarked, when they entered the 'training' floor.

"Mom, shouldn't I be with Shirou and Kiritsugu?" Sebastian wondered "He is teaching my uncle Magecraft"

"Not a chance" she said "You aren't getting out of this"

"Okay, what is 'this'?" Sebastian asked, a little worried.

"We're here Illya" Rin said, yawning "It didn't have to be so early, you know"

"You kept me up very late a few times" his mother chimed "I consider this payback"

"So what is this about, big sis?" Kuro asked, interested.

"I am curious as well" Luvia said "I had Auguste clear this whole floor for your son's lessons but never dreamed you would have me help you"

"Where is Miyu and my younger self?" she asked them.

"Still getting ready…well, Illya is anyway" Kuro snickered "She doesn't like getting up early, to which I'm sure you're familiar with"

"I almost miss that cheekiness" his mom muttered, before the last two girls appeared.

"We're here" little Illya intoned.

"Excellent" his mother put her hands together maliciously "Now Sebastian"

"Yes?" he looked at her.

"Since you just love to do things all by yourself and you love almost killing yourself as well" she grinned "You will have to defeat all of them by yourself-and no, Mash can't help you"

"WHAT?!" they all exclaimed as the older woman left "If you lose, it'll be harder on you"

The doors were locked and Sebastian had an inkling as to what those big mirrors high above them were for.

"And girls" Iri chimed through the floor intercom. "You can't leave until you show him what it means to be teammates, so no fighting with yourselves"

This wasn't what Sebastian had in mind…

He looked at them and they looked at him, and the shock and surprise finally washed off their faces…

He spun a one eighty and ran for his life.


	26. Chapter 26

So you think to find solace in the midst of your ire?

Think it not meet to face your actions with a solemn mind and a grim end?

Hero of Justice, are you?

Or do you toy with another's work, seeking that which you could not obtain…?

What redemption could you possibly gain?

If the innocence you claimed you tainted with your name?

Einzbern might have cheated;

Tohsaka might have beaten;

Matou might have taken;

But you…

You, Kiritsugu Emiya, know only how to destroy-

Friends?

Family?

Love?

Everything you touched you killed-or was killed for you…

You destroyed your own future-to _save_ the world.

I would know-I saw it happen.

Mongrel.

I suspect we will meet again-though I don't know what to feel about that.

-Gilgamesh, King of all Heroes.

 **Chapter 26**

He had gotten a five second head start.

Sebastian ran through the corridors, dodging curses and prana attacks that would only just knock him out if they hit him. He honestly wasn't surprised that they started almost immediately-Irisviel could be scary when she wanted to be, or so he was told.

He activated a few Magic Circles that shot Prana waves at them; which while it would do little besides push them around, it would serve to keep him ahead of the projectiles that came his way.

How this would help him realize he needed to work as a team was something he would never understand-and maybe that was just a little bit of his father showing up in him. Edward Elric trusted only one person to have his back and Alphonse was still in Amestris. Well, one person outside of his wife, of course.

It's not as if Sebastian was opposed to teamwork, but trying to discuss that with his mother-after a mana hungry water spirit almost drowned him-was like trying to talk to a tree about the injustices of not paying attention and smacking into one. Such was the life of an adolescent boy.

Speaking of which-

"Swords too?" he complained as Kuro's attacks almost touched him a few times "Your not supposed to kill me, Kuro!"

"Quit your whining" she replied briskly "They're only rubber"

"And that's supposed to make me feel better" he replied as he knocked into Rin.

"Nice one, dunce" Luvia said to her "Gandr" she pointed a finger at Sebastian and fired.

"Illya! Now!" Kuro yelled, and little Illya appeared with wings.

"Scatter Shot!" she exclaimed, and Sebastian barely dodged the resulting attack.

"C'mon guys, this is hardly fair!" he complained, as a Gandr hit his arm.

"I don't really like this either' Rin said "But consider this payback, for whipping our butts a few weeks ago"

Sebastian fired pure mana at the ceiling, missing them entirely (he didn't want anyone getting hurt by falling debris) but creating a distraction long enough to disappear through the obstacle course Auguste set up. When he thought he was safe, he rubbed the arm that was hit with the curse.

"First my dad and his stupid 'meditation' and now my mom sent the whole brigade against me" Sebastian huffed "They haven't done stuff this crazy in years"

Time was short, of course.

Sebastian needed to think this logically.

"Rin and Luvia like to use gems and petty curses" he said "A simple barrier should be adequate defense against them. Illya and Miyu have those Mystic codes-and the class cards, but I don't think they'd use them. Separating those wands from their owners would be my objective there" Sebastian knew who would give him the greatest problem.

"Kuro has the Archer card permanently inside her" he said "I would either take her out first or take a class card from the other two" He grinned "I may actually do this"

Sebastian snuck out of his…cubicle? At least he thought it was an upside-down cubicle, and proceeded to track down either Ruby and Sapphire or Kuro herself.

Sebastian snuck over half of the floor before he ran into anyone.

"I figured I would find you first" Miyu said; already having installed the Saber Card.

"I thought Illya had that card?" he asked her.

She picked up Excalibur, and swung it once.

"We share them" she said simply "I hold onto two and Illya and Kuro have the other one. Today I have the Saber Class card"

'Maybe tracking down Sapphire wasn't such a good idea' he thought.

"So much for teamwork" he muttered and traced a sword in response.

"You misunderstand" Miyu said, and Sebastian sensed her approach before he felt her.

He was thrown five feet sideways, and saw Luvia's trademark curls dashing towards him.

She threw a few gems at him, which caused instant paralysis.

"Aww ha ha ha ha" she laughed "I actually didn't think you'd fall for that. The class cards are dangerous, Sebastian. You really think we'd actually fight you with them?"

"Should of known she was a decoy" he grimaced as Luvia laughed again.

"So he was caught that easily, then?" Kuro landed next to Luvia "Hmmph, I wonder why we even bothered"

"That was a pretty standard trap" Rin walked up to Miyu.

"Says the woman who tied a girl up over a banquet of food" he managed.

"Well I'd say this was more embarrassing" Annoying code laughed.

"Rub it in why don't you" Sebastian said sarcastically, though the paralysis was really starting to affect his speech.

"Sorry, Sebastian" little Illya said, shamefaced.

"You've got nothing to be sorry for" his mother walked up, triumphantly "This is Sebastian's punishment, after all"

He moaned, annoyed.

"Now the day is still young" she declared "You've got until lunch time, Sebastian. Try again, won't you?"

An antidote was administered, and he had five minutes to recooperate.

He did so in half the time.

Sebastian used everything he had at his disposal; his knowledge of Magecraft, the surrounding obstacles, and even what he knew about the others.

"Obviously the first plan was a failure" he said to himself "I need to remember that all of them have been fighting together for a while now, and they're obviously capable of switching up the groups"

He knew they were employing the first tactic they used against him again.

"Miyu was adopted into the Edelfelt family, so she'd obviously work well with Luvia-though I would have thought the little ones would all group together" he thought out loud "Why fix what isn't broken, they could use the same plan again with minimal damage on their part"

Sebastian opted to ignore Kuro as a prime target and instead set up small traps for them to tangle themselves into. He'd barricade himself in a corner, and attack guerrilla warfare style when they activated his traps.

Sebastian set his traps up and waited in his corner for one of them to be tripped. Using bits of his hair, he was able to place bugs that would notify him which trap was sprung and who tangled it.

Not five minutes after he was done setting up, and Sebastian had his first victim…it was Illya.

"Sorry, Illya, but I need a Class Card" he said and relieved her of the Lancer card before he was hit by a mana blast from Ruby…and Rin.

"Caught again, Sebastian" she bragged "That was the easiest trap I set. We knew those things were there, and used your own to lure you out" she smiled arrogantly "You'll have to do better than that"

He groaned.

"You know, I'm actually starting to feel sorry for you" Kuro said from behind him "You had a plan going there for a bit"

"Um, Rin" Illya pouted "You didn't tell me this was here, that's not fair, not fair at all"

"Shame on you, Rin" Ruby intoned "That wasn't proper"  
"Whatever" she tossed the wand back at Illya "You've got five minutes, Sebastian"

His healing magic once again allowed him to leave in half the time.

"I'm thinking this all wrong" he said "All of them obviously can work together however they want to, and planning for every contingency would do wonders for my aching back" The problem was, they were all capable Magi; and while he wasn't inept at the art, he was only one person. They were a five man (or woman) team. This was his mother's whole point, after all.

"If I see anyone, then I'll attack on sight and run the other way" he reasoned "They've trapped me twice now, and with all of them out in the open, that aspect of fighting gets cut in half or greater"

Sebastian was so focused on looking for them, that he didn't see the explosive arrow from Kuro until she was on top of his back.

"I didn't need help specifically" she said "And this win makes three to zero. You're not very good at this, are you?"

"Apparently not" he responded "You see, I'm not facing the average everyday malicious villain. The faces are familiar to me-you know, like the 'hey, how are you doing' type, instead of the traditional 'I'm a badguy who wants money and power, fear me!' kind"

That had her bursting with laughter.

"My, that was funny" she helped him up "You ready to fight like a champ yet?"

"Wait, are you saying you want to help me?" Sebastian was surprised.

She looked at him.

"Uh, yeah, that's kind of the whole point of not knocking you out" she patted him on the back "Besides, if I have to hear Rin and Luvia's bragging anymore, I will definitely freak"

"What about mom?" he asked her.

"What about her?" she looked at him, with a smile on her face "There's nothing in the rules that says she can't help you out, right?"

She handed him the Lancer card.

"Probably better that you didn't skewer anyone with that, but it'll give you increased speed" Kuro then traced a couple of rubber swords "Now, let's hunt the hunters"

"Where did you get this?" he already knew the answer.

"Borrowed it off of Illya" she told him "The girl can be a little ditsy sometimes, especially when she's worried about something"

Shaking off the feeling that she probably stole it, Sebastian installed the card, and ran with Kuro through the obstacles on the floor.

"You gotta plan there?" she asked him.

"We'll take out Illya and Miyu before we fight Rin and Luvia" Sebastian told her "If they're together or halved in groups, then take out the aggressor first"

"Right" she said "No one knows I jumped ship, so that'll be a synch"

"We attack together" Sebastian echoed his mother's words in his head.

"Coming up on your left!" she yelled, swords projected.

Sebastian pushed Miyu to the ground and used the momentum to punch Rin in the stomach.

He turned and smiled a little at Kuro, who was waving Sapphire triumphantly in the air. She made to pick up Miyu, and teleported; almost caught in the blast.

"Kuro, you traitor!" Illya yelled, to which the darker half snickered and waved Sapphire around a bit more.

"All about teamwork" she said, smiling.

Luvia came up behind Sebastian at that moment, to which he only dodged her because he jabbed her with the bunt of his spear.

"Nnngh" she grabbed her stomach quickly and ordered Illya to retreat.

"They only ran away because they didn't have a strategy for me" Kuro held her smile, and picked up Miyu "You alright there?"

"Yes" she said, gesturing for Sapphire "It wasn't unplanned necessarily, just unexpected"

"That hurt, you know" Rin complained "Why is it always my stomach with you?"

"Safest place to hit you" Sebastian said at once "You can't accuse me of perverted actions if I get you there"

"You actually think about that stuff?" Kuro asked, eyebrows raised.

"Of course" he said "I remember what you all did to Shirou, and that wasn't even his fault, Kuro"

She stuck her tongue out, and smiled smugly.

"Well, whatever" Rin said "You know we still have like three minutes left, right"

"Then we're back in it" Miyu nodded "It's your only chance, Sebastian"

Kuro's face became serious really quickly.

"That gives us about half that time to beat them" she remarked.

"Right" Sebastian agreed.

They went after the retreating Illya and Luvia, on double the speeds those two were probably going.

"Keep Illya busy" Sebastian said "Luvia's mine"

"If that's what you want" Kuro replied, closing in on Illya.

Sebastian activated a Magic circle which Luvia dodged; choosing to throw a few gems at his feet to try to trip him up.

"Not falling for that again" Sebastian used a barrier, launching him up in the air, to which he jumped her, grabbing the gems she took out of her dress.

"Big mistake" she activated them, causing the paralysis to activate, but he had dropped them at the same moment. Luvia finally got caught in her own trap.

Illya was much harder to stop because of all the lucky dodges on her part and misses on Kuro's.

Sebastian tried to catch her as well, but ended up in Kuro's way more often than not.

"Gandr!" Rin came out of no where and started firing on Kuro while Miyu attacked Sebastian fully decked as Saber.

"I didn't think it'd come to this" he said, in response to her use of Excalibur "These being dangerous cards, and all"

"Kuro is more than capable of limiting herself, and so am I" she remarked, deadlocked with him, sword to spear.

"I hope I don't go overboard then" he pushed her back and attacked with the bunt of his weapon, to which she somersaulted and threw a wave of energy at him.

Rin screamed, and Sebastian was momentarily surprised to find her pinned to the wall by decidedly not rubber swords. He was bonked on the head by the cross guard of the holy blade.

"Ow" he rubbed his head, and was almost hit with a burst of mana.

Illya began attacking him, with Miyu, while Kuro was held up a bit by a recovered Luvia.

"This is hardly fair" he actually began enjoying the fight "It's two against one"

"As if you are intimidated by a couple of grade schoolers" annoying code chimed.

"Ready, Illya?" Miyu's sword activated, ready for the Noble Phantasm.

"Ready" she replied confidently, wand raised and charged.

" **Gáe** **Bulg**!" he yelled at the same time she screamed "Excalibur!"

Illya fired her mana ball at the point when they activated their noble phantasms.

The floor was leveled; in fact, the only reason the stories above remained intact is because of the outer beams in the skyscraper.

Sebastian picked himself up like it was nothing, and Miyu knocked over a few bits of rubble.

"We…made…it…in…time…Ruby!" Illya huffed "That…was…quick…thinking"

"I missed" she remarked, and activated her sword again.

"Same here" he agreed, and was about to execute when a sword stopped him in his tracks.

"Are you guys crazy?!" Kuro yelled angrily "You almost took out the entire building!"

Miyu suddenly realized what she was doing, and dropped her sword in surprise, to which Sebastian wasn't too far off.

He had even forgotten it was his punishment.

"That's enough now!" his mother yelled in the intercom "Stop fighting at once!"

"We're in trouble, aren't we?" he asked them.

"Probably" Illya sighed, defeated.

"What was that, guys?" Rin asked, amazed and dazed.

"Could that have possibly been…?"Luvia began, but shook her head.

"It was the Heroic Spirits" Miyu said "In the cards…I mean. We practically become them when we use our bodies as catalysts for the install"

"I don't think we've ever used them like that" Miyu continued "Except my battle with Kuro, I think"

"We don't know enough about the cards to be sure" Sapphire intoned "But it is possible to have lost yourselves in the haze of battle; considering you take on their personalities as well as their abilities. At least I am getting this from observation, of course"

"My mom said something along those lines" Sebastian nodded "And I do have some second hand experience, as I was given the opportunity to study the make up of the cards, without actually using them" he scratched his head sheepishly "So I think you're right, guys"

"Whatever the case" Kuro was annoyed "You'll have to find something to tell our mothers; because I don't think that's going to cut it"

And then Irisviel and Illya walked through the door; faces set in anger.


	27. Chapter 27

She was held in a tower.

Waiting solemnly for the rescue that never came.

Below they fought, and fought for naught.

Silent wishes in the night.

She sat there, pretty.

Wanted.

Needed.

Coveted.

But never loved, never cared for.

Until a boy reached for her with but one wish,

Different than the last.

Separate from the others…

He wanted her freedom.

She never knew freedom,

Never understood her fervent desire.

To reach for the light of the sun,

Or the pale caress of the moon.

Likewise she looked upon the boy,

Asking, why that wish?

You could have fame, fortune, power.

Any could love you, any would kneel for you.

You looked sad, the boy replied.

Sad, tired, and lonely.

Here we fight for carnal things;

Power, life, and wealth…

But what about you?

She blessed the boy with great things.

She gave him love when others couldn't,

She held him close when the nightmares came,

She helped him in his pain and bane.

Every morning he awoke,

With every first breath he took,

Always ever it was the same,

He wished her freedom more than gain.

Every evening without fail,

She denied him the one wish he wanted,

Saddened as she was,

She could not grant what wasn't hers.

One day the boy, No longer young,

Looked upon her pretty frame,

He told her it was time,

To face what all men face.

She begged, and pleaded, but never heeded,

Please wish for longer life,

Stay with me yet one more day,

I pray, my love, my hope, my all.

With all the strength he could muster,

And all the hope in his heart,

He asked for the same wish as always,

The one she refused to give.

With tears she shook her head,

She could not grant that wish,

And tried and tried, and failed,

For any other boon.

He died that day, in her arms,

And then her world grew dark.

For never did she feel,

Loss, pain, and hurt.

The fools were still below her,

Fighting for the right,

The right she denied her boy,

The freedom she didn't need.

I will not give to you,

What I could not give to him,

By right you are not worthy,

To stand in his humble shoes,

Instead I'll take from you,

What death took from me,

The world, so full of greed,

Will meet its greedy end.

Thus it was with the Holy Grail,

Angra Mainyu's cradle,

To wit, all despair,

At this so great a hurdle.

 **Chapter 27** **Not sure I'm going to keep this chapter. Got the idea from another anime, but prrobably doesn't fit in ths story. Let me know what you think please.**

Sebastian was in trouble. And that was an understatement. It wasn't like he was oblivious to the fact that he had destroyed an entire floor of a skyscraper; or to the fact that he could have destroyed everyone there. Nor was it arguable that he owed Luvia a lot of money for all the destruction he caused. It just wasn't fair that everyone else got off easy.

He was grounded…more than grounded.

His summer was officially gone.

He wiped his forehead on a towel that the foreman handed to him, and took a bottle of water offered by another worker…it tasted strange, but that was brushed off quickly.

How did he get himself into this predicament? It was a question he had asked himself over and over again.

When his mother and grandmother entered the room, as angry as he'd ever seen them (at least as angry as he'd seen his mom), he definitely didn't think 'yeah we're angry so-construction'. It was also a surprise to even Luvia, though she accepted that it was the lesser of the two evils.

Sebastian wasn't even sure what was being built.

He looked over to where his whole family was enjoying the quadruple birthday celebration (it was funny in a subjective way that technically three of the birthdays were being held for the same person), and watched a moment at the joy on all of their faces, especially his parents', who seemed the most into it… as if they already had done it before.

He chuckled at the absurdity of the thought.

Sebastian could have joined in the celebration as well, but volunteered to fill in for Rin and Luvia so that they could enjoy wearing bikinis for Shirou. If they only knew.

"Something wrong, Sir?" the foreman asked, politely.

"No, just thinking" Sebastian answered. The entire crew was very polite to him after Luvia let slip that he was 'family'. Amazing what money can do. He sighed, and took another swig of the bottle in his hands. It tasted weird, incredibly weird.

As Sebastian stared at the bottle suspiciously, he noticed Mash's name on bottom.

"Must have grabbed the wrong one" his Servant was helping his grandparents set up a picnic table of some kind "Oh well, I'm sure she won't mind"

Sebastian looked at the constructed structure. It was supposedly being created expressly for the Eighth Class card that he, Luvia, Rin, and Mash were going to fight. The first part of it was easy-it was going to be an elevator/'warehouse'. The 'Warehouse' was for the privacy because the Edelfelt family was so rich, and the elevator was for the excavation. No one outside of Rin, Luvia, and himself even knew what the entire structure was for, or even what the floor plans were; although his mom did have a knowing look when she agreed to have him moved to this spot from helping at the Edelfelt Tower.

He wasn't sure what to make of that.

Honestly, Sebastian wasn't sure why Mom suddenly became very guarded when it came to her stories, and she had begun to tell a few of them. He suspected his companions approached her with the details surrounding the Eighth card, and she didn't give them what they wanted. Whatever the reason was, she was just as adamant that he receive 'team' exercises and training. His dad was even 'assisting' in some of them, but considering his being grounded, it was probably prudent to keep that quiet.

He finished the weird tasting water and was ready to go back to work when he was grabbed. It was Rin, with Luvia just behind her. They looked odd. Sebastian couldn't put a finger on why they looked off putting, however.

"Sorry, boys. We're stealing this guy for a bit" Rin began dragging him almost through the sand as Luvia pushed him in an almost comical way.

"I can walk, you know" he told them, before Luvia pushed a gem in his mouth, paralyzing him.

"Do not worry, young man" she purred "We'll take excellent care of you"

That was all Sebastian needed to really begin to struggle, not just against them, but also against the paralysis. Whatever they had planned, it probably wasn't good. He realized this was uncharacteristic behavior, which meant something bad must have happened to them.

"Mash!" he yelled "Mash! Shirou! Somebody!" his mouth started to numb when just about everyone invited to the party began cheering at the display. Their eyes were glazed just like his captors. Mash and Shirou were among them, clapping and cheering. He was set down in a chair, and paled when Mash yanked his shirt off, and Rin went for his…

"SOMEBODY HELP ME!" he screamed.

"Ruby, what's going on?" that was little Illya, and she sounded scared.

"Yes, sister" Sapphire intoned "What have you done to incite such untoward behavior? There are children here"

Thankfully at the moment, Rin was having trouble with his belt.

"I-ah…well I had this big plan to get Illya together with Shirou" Annoying Code was a little too cheerful.

"Yes, I can see that" Sapphire droned angrily "Except that's not what's happening"

Rin opened his belt to the cheers of everyone around. Luvia was massaging his shoulders and…and…

Mash covered his mouth with hers. Sebastian's scream was muffled.

"Ah-Ah-what are we going to do?!" Illya began freaking out.

"Do something before I lose more than my first kiss!" Sebastian yelled at the top of his lungs "If I ever get my hands on you Annoying Code-"

His pants were yanked from him-in the worst possible way. Sebastian watched in horror as he was about to be nude in front of everyone he cared about because of the damn antics of a stick and an incest fetish…that apparently his mother had when she was a kid. His mentors and Servant were about to do something against their will, and against his because the Universe just couldn't stop stabbing him in the back. Nevermind that kids were at this party and that little Illya was too scared to stop them.

Granted, Rin was very beautiful at this stage in the game, and yes he was a guy…but-

He suddenly got feeling back in his limbs, and Sebastian didn't hesitate. He yanked himself free and dove for his clothes.

"Now stop being shy already!" Rin grabbed his leg, and he yanked it free and ran like hell, in nothing but his underpants, but away from the group. The laughter stopped and the yelling began.

"RUBY I WILL KILL YOU!" Sebastian shouted as he ran away from the mind controlled horde.

Illya was able to keep speed with him, thanks to her Magical Girl power, and Sapphire was following at rank speed.

"I'm sorry you got mixed up in this" Little Illya said apologetically "I didn't even know Ruby planned this"

"Just find a way to stop them without hurting them" Sebastian retorted "I can't think of anything at the moment, but how angry I am at that code and the fact that everyone just saw that. How the heck am I going to explain this? I'm not the perverted type but that was as close to perverse as one could get!"

"Maybe I can get Illya to help me make an antidote the way I got Mash to help me with the love potion" Annoying code chirped.

"You got Mash to do what?" Sebastian asked at the same time that Sapphire said "Well, now I know why the potion actually works"

"No! You did enough, Ruby" Illya actually showed anger at the code "This was as embarrassing for me as it was for him!"

"Perhaps we could try erasing this from their minds" Sapphire said "Given my Mistress' current role as 'angry maniac' it would be prudent if you used me Lady Illya"

"Are we really going to mess with them after they've been messed with already?" Sebastian asked "I'm not even sure how they've all been influenced by this potion"

"Oh, well I accidentally put it in the fruit punch" Ruby said, sounding apologetic for the first time "Illya was already supposed to have taken the catalyst in the water bottle"

Sebastian tripped over his legs at the realization that he drunk the catalyst at the construction site. It was just as well, he was running out of stamina anyway.

"Ruby, let's put them to sleep!" Illya yelled as the Fullmetal Alchemist got to his son. He suddenly looked tired, and took a seat to sleep, with his wife right next to him ironically. In seconds the whole party was asleep on the beach.

Sebastian wasted no time getting dressed, before rounding on the Mystic Code.

"Why in the world did I get the 'catalyst'?!" he asked her "Even before that! What possessed you to think that this love potion thing was a good idea?"

"You wouldn't understand" Ruby said "The wonder, the beauty, the passion of forbidden love! And Miss Illya…in the throes of that passion for her brother, oh the lovely things they could have-"

She was interrupted by a hammer smack from Sapphire.

"Thanks for that" Sebastian told the code "I was about ready to do that myself"

"My sister did wrong" she replied "It was necessary to make that known"

"That really hurt too" Ruby pouted.

"Well, you deserve it!" Illya said angrily.

"No wonder that water tasted weird" Sebastian sighed "How did I even end up with that anyway?"

"Maybe Mash messed up" Illya looked at the sleeping partygoers "Or she could have gotten cold feet, and thought nothing would happen if the catalyst wasn't at the party. I never wanted this to happen…I wanted it to be special" she looked unhappy then "I had no idea Ruby was planning this"

"Actually, the Catalyst makes the potion even more potent the farther away it activates" Ruby said "But either way, it's supposed to wear off after two hours of use"

"Enough Sister" Sapphire said "Now we need to put the party back together again before they wake up, or we'll never be able to fix this"

Sebastian took one look at his Grandfather, and agreed that if it wasn't fixed, related or not he was a dead man.

"Yes, please fix this now" he told the codes "But if you ever try to corrupt my mother again, Ruby, there will be no where you can run and no where you can hide where I won't find you. It's not funny and it's not okay"

Ruby just nodded solemnly while Sapphire did…whatever it was that she did to erase their memories.

 **It's not my fault Anime is weird like that, but it works here – SoravsGoku123 on this chapter.**

"Oh, my head is killing me" Kuro complained as they were eating dinner "It's like someone went into my head and played an instrument"

"I'm not having too much luck in that department either" Luvia seconded "Nevermind that I was incredibly sleepy before my head started pounding"

"I get the feeling I was about to do something disgusting" Rin said, face red with embarrassment "I can't remember what it was though"

"Well I kind of woke up comfortably" Ed said with a grin at his wife "But I can't explain why I was sleeping to begin with. Heat wave, maybe?"

"Maybe" she returned the smile and yawned at the table "But I'm just glad we had a party at the beach"

"What do you think, darling?" Irisviel asked Kiritsugu.

"Well, if it wasn't abundantly clear that nothing bad happened; I'd say someone spiked the Fruit Punch" he said authoritatively "But it's likely we'll never know. It's not coincidence that we all fell asleep quite a ways from the party"

"I agree" Bazett said "I noticed Sebastian was awake though, maybe he saw something"

Everyone looked at Sebastian suspiciously until Illya spoke up.

"I don't think it was him" she said "I was…completely fine and I didn't see him do anything wrong" her face lit up like a Christmas tree right after saying it, which probably made him more suspicious looking, but at this point, Sebastian was just happy it didn't actually go down the worst way possible.

"Well, his birthday is next week, right?" Shirou said "Maybe we can have that here at the tower; that way there's no heat wave to worry about"

Sebastian inwardly groaned; if Ruby was at that party there's no telling what would happen. He sighed.

"I don't know what you're all going on about" he said "But I missed most of the party so Luvia and Rin could go and have fun"

"That is true" Luvia said, and the others nodded ascent "You did miss most of the party"

"Yeah, well. Happy Birthday, Mom! I love you" he looked at his parents, and they smiled.

"We love you too, Seb"


End file.
